Time Heals All Wounds
by Animus of Masada
Summary: One year after Akatsuki's defeat, Naruto and Sasuke end their epic struggle, but inadvertently send themselves and Team 7 into the past. Will they find what they lost as children, and prevent the harbingers of pain from occurring? Time travel/Minato alive
1. Prologue: In A Mirror, Darkly

**Synopsis: One year after Akatsuki's defeat, Naruto and Sasuke end their epic struggle, but inadvertently send themselves and Team 7 into the past. Will they find what they lost as children and prevent the harbingers of pain from occurring?**

**A/N: This is a time-travel fic. Chapters will be much longer than this prologue; this is just, well, a prologue. Please Note: Due to there being a one-year timeskip between canon and this story, and the fact that time travel is involved, characters may act OOC a bit; this will not be illogical, however, and I will try and make it clear WHY they are OOC.**

**For those of you who read my other fic, They Were Legends, don't worry. I'm not giving up on that at all, and I will update it soon. This is just a project I've wanted to do as well.**

**PLEASE review, it means more to me than you could know. Enjoy!  
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**Time Heals All Wounds**

**Chapter 1 (Prologue): In A Mirror, Darkly**

Kakashi wanted nothing more than to jump into the battle and save his students. His decades of training as a shinobi and his own philosophy of taking care of one's friends being the highest priority screamed at him to intervene. And yet…he would not.

No, he would not, for the reason had become all too clear over the years. This fight was more than just a battle between friend and foe, more than a fight between friends. It was even more than just "personal." It was a battle of philosophies; a battle between Senju Will of Fire and Uchiha Hatred, a clash culminated over many decades of strife and conflict.

It was also the culmination of both of his students' efforts of almost their entire lives. Naruto was going to fulfill his life-long promise while Sasuke was going to fulfill his twisted ideals of revenge, once and for all. Or they would both die trying, as Naruto pointed out two years ago.

Which is why he now did nothing but watch as his students tried to kill each other with power on a level far above his own. Next to him were others who had become intertwined in this epic conflict of ideals and bonds: the remaining members of Team Kakashi, Sai and Sakura, and Naruto's new love, Hinata. The once-too-shy-for-her-own-good girl had insisted on coming, as she made it abundantly clear that even if she could not intervene in a battle that might kill her love, she would at least be there to witness it.

They had all grown a lot in the past year. Akatsuki had been defeated, and peace had been established between almost all nations. Naruto and Hinata had grown ever closer since her confession, and Naruto sought to follow in his father's footsteps by learning sealing jutsu. Even now, when Sasuke seemed to be beyond any hope of redemption, Naruto devised seals to give him a chance of forcing Sasuke to return to Konoha without being a threat to anyone. Sakura, of all people, was baffled by this, as she had long since given up hope of ever seeing the Sasuke she had cared for ever again. _I suppose_, she thought,_ that it is exactly like him to never give up on a person just like he never gives up in anything he does._

Beneath all of the emotions running through Kakashi's head was the guilt. Guilt that he had carried ever since the day that Obito had died in his place, guilt that had doubled when he failed to save Rin, and guilt that stung him all over again when he failed to save his own student, and might very well lose a second one. _Naruto, _he thought, _you have no idea how much I wish I could be the one to die in either of your place_.

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Sasuke didn't know what he was doing anymore. Revenge and hatred had been so deeply ingrained in who he was that he couldn't even remember how to act any differently. He had dubbed himself an avenger many years ago, and now at the age of 17, he couldn't live for anything else. Setting the destruction of Konoha as his ultimate goal, he viewed this fight as the last true obstacle to the completion of that goal. He had spent a year preparing for it. While he abandoned 'Taka' long before, he had never stopped training. Using his fight with Danzo as inspiration, he devised a technique that would guarantee him victory when he faced the only person he would ever give the time of day to at this point. Instead of turning reality into an illusion for a brief time, he would be able to step into the past of a few seconds prior. Since reality itself was not rejected, the technique didn't carry the heavy price of permanently losing an eye, but there _was_ a drawback: the technique required a large amount of chakra to perform. This was an acceptable cost, as using it at the right time would mean that Naruto would no longer be nagging him or his goals.

_Naruto._ The man had become such an enigma to him. At first, he was a friend, then he became a rival. At some point, however, he became something of a brother, in a weird, inexplicable way. Through their struggle and common understanding of pain and revenge, they had forged a bond that neither of them could describe. It transcended all else; it was a bond where they would eventually kill each other, but the entire time, neither could help but remember just how close they were. How they had both faced each other's path and chosen the opposite. How, even as they shoved a lethal technique into their brother's chest, they would feel as if they killed a huge part of themselves. They were the yin and yang, the light and the dark, where neither could exist without the other.

Knowing this, Naruto had told Sasuke one year ago that they would both die in this fated battle. And they both knew he was right.

As Naruto pushed Sasuke's Susano'o to the brink, Naruto prepared his most powerful technique, which Sasuke recognized as his improved version of the famed "Rasenshuriken." The technique before him was the completed version of the Rasengan taken to extremes, with the Kyuubi's chakra added en masse, giving it a power that could fell a bijuu. Sasuke recognized his opportunity immediately, and as Naruto neared, he prepared his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan for his trump card, which he had dubbed as "Izanami."

With one final exchange, it was all about to end. Everything leading up to this moment, and everything following it…it was the end of a dispute that had truly lasted for generations.

There was no need for words. They had long since passed that point. For a fleeting moment, Naruto and Sasuke could have sworn they were hurling at each other, signature techniques in hand, appearing and feeling exactly as they had all those years ago.

Everyone's eyes were blinded by a strong, white light before everything went black.

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**A/N: With the prologue out of the way, things will get very interesting, I can assure you. I'm also open to suggestions and ideas, so if you want to let me know, please review or PM me. With the obligatory plot device to establish the time travel over with, I can really get creative and have fun. Hopefully it will be a fun ride for all of you.**

**Please let me know what you think!  
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	2. Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

**A/N: Here is chapter 2. I'm going to try and make my chapters at least 2500 words each time, but I will aim for higher in the future. This is where the time-travel stuff starts to come into play, but s*** will really hit the fan next chapter. I'm also taking a little creative freedom with the timeline here, so please forgive that. Otherwise, I will try and stay as faithful to the canon timeline as possible (before my characters completely change it, of course). **

**PLEASE review! If you've got this story on alert, PLEASE let me know what you think. You guys have no idea how much it means to me, and it brings me no greater joy than to see what people think of my writing, good or bad. Reviews are my biggest motivation, so if you want the next chapter out soon, you know what to do. Thanks!  
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**Chapter 2: Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc**

Naruto awoke to orange and red hues dotted with splotches of wispy white. A few blinks and groans later, he realized that he was looking at the sky, and promptly sat up. As the memories of the recent past flooded his consciousness, he jumped up in a panic and looked around for—

_There!_ Sasuke lay in the dirt, face up and definitely unconscious. Naruto rushed over to him, and quickly saw that he was alive and breathing. He pulled out the pre-made seals that he had prepared for just such an occasion, designed to surpress his chakra and kekkei genkai so that he could be returned to Konoha safely. After applying the seals and binding his limbs, Naruto checked the rest of his surroundings. On the ledge where he knew the rest of his team were watching, he saw a hand hanging limply off the ledge. Naruto dashed up to his friends, and saw that they, too, were all unconscious.

"Kakashi-sensei! Sakura! Sai-teme! Hinata-chan! Wake up!"

Kakashi and Sai were the first to stir, and Kakashi looked up to his student with surprise. "Naruto? Wait—what happened?"

Before, Naruto could answer, Sakura and Hinata began to wake up as well, so Naruto opted to wait before delivering the good news. Once he had their attention, he smiled as he said, "It's over; Sasuke's alive but unconscious, and I've placed the seals on him. He won't be a threat anymore. We can bring him home."

Sakura looked down solemnly, but smiled. "Thank you, Naruto," she whispered. Her thoughts raced_. Will Sasuke ever go back to being the kind teammate I once knew? Does he deserve to die anyway?_

"Meet me down there when you can, everyone," he replied.

Standing over Sasuke's body, Naruto couldn't help but reminisce of what could have been. "I'm sorry, Sasuke," he whispered. "I'm sorry that I couldn't stop you before like I did just now. It would have saved everyone so much pain…" he looked up, his eyes staring towards the past. "It's almost cruel, in a way, Sasuke. It happened in the same place, almost the same way, only several years later and with the opposite outcome." He looked down again, closing his eyes from the painful memories. "I failed to be there for you, but I promise, from now on…I'll save you from the darkness. I won't lose you like I almost lost myself. They don't understand why I care so much, but I hope that, in time, they will. I almost became what you are now, and you almost became what I am. If I can't save you, then I'll know that I couldn't have been saved myself. I can't live with that."

A voice called from behind him. "Perhaps now, we _do_ understand, at least a little, Naruto." The blond turned around to see his team, his friends, standing behind him. Kakashi continued to speak. "We'll do all we can for him. In the mean time, we need to get him back to Konoha, and it's a decent trek from the Valley of the End to the village."

Naruto carried Sasuke on their way back. He felt nostalgia creeping through him. For a moment, he could forget all that had happened in the past few years and pretend that Team 7 was together again, and that he was just carrying an injured Sasuke back home.

But it only lasted a moment. Sasuke stirred, and Kakashi signaled for the team to stop. Naruto set his ex-teammate down as he came to his senses.

"Na…Naruto? Wha—we're alive?"

"That's right, teme. I've sealed your chakra and Sharingan, so don't even bother trying anything. We're taking you home."

"_Home? _You think you're doing me a favor? I'm going to destroy Konoha! That village has enjoyed peace by betraying the Uchiha clan and destroying my brother! You are all guilty! I'm going to burn you all t—"

_*WHAM*_

"You done, teme? As satisfying as it feels, I'd rather not punch you in the face all day."

Sasuke looked back up to the blond, confusion and anger in his eyes. "No, I'm not done! I won't be done until I've razed Konoha to the ground! I won't be done until I've avenged the Uchih—"

"YOUR REVENGE IS POINTLESS, SASUKE!"

The last Uchiha stared at Naruto in shock as he continued. "Have you ever stopped and thought about _what_ your clan died for? What your _brother_ died for? Your clan was plotting a coup against Konoha. I hate the fact that they were killed, and I would done everything I could have to stop it, but it happened. Your brother sacrificed himself so that the rest of Konoha wouldn't suffer destruction. He died for the sake of peace! He died so that _YOU_ could live! So that _YOU_ would become Konoha's newest hero! He wanted you to protect Konoha, not destroy it! He wanted you to redeem the Uchiha clan, to rebuild it! Not soil its name for all eternity! He entrusted his Will of Fire to YOU, Sasuke! You don't have the right to spit on all of his sacrifices!" His voiced was lowered to a whisper. "I know exactly what you felt. I saw all that I held dear destroyed, the people that I loved killed in front of my eyes while I was helpless. I wanted revenge so badly, I wanted to destroy the cause of my pain."

Sasuke's mouth was agape as he remained totally silent, taking in Naruto's every word.

"I was given the chance to kill the man that had destroyed my life. The man that had killed the people that I loved. I could have done it, and I would have been a hero for it. But I chose not to. Why?"

Sasuke was asking that same question in his mind.

"Because killing him wouldn't have solved anything. Killing him wouldn't have brought my friends and loved ones back. Killing him wouldn't have reversed the damage that had been done. Killing him would have only caused others pain, causing them to seek revenge. I chose to understand him, to try and get him to see the error of his ways, so that one day he would save someone in need instead of taking their life. So that one day, he too would chose not to further the cycle of hatred, but to end it.

"He believed in me. He said that in me, he could see a different future. So he decided to break the cycle of hatred by his own choice. He sacrificed himself to revive everyone that he had killed. I got my friends and loved ones back. I had built a new friendship and alliance with my former enemies. I was a hero, but I didn't care about that. I became what you could have been, Sasuke. What you still _can _be, if you try. Because deep down, Sasuke, I know that you're still there. There's still hope for you, because if that man who destroyed Konoha, destroyed my friends, destroyed the people I loved, could change and break the cycle of hatred, then so can you."

No one said anything for a long time. Sasuke's mouth eventually closed, and he looked down pensively. Naruto decided that it was enough for now, and turned to his sensei. Kakashi nodded. "We should make camp here, and continue on in the morning."

At dawn, Team Kakashi cleaned up camp, and Naruto placed Sasuke in the previous position, piggy-back style, to carry him back to Konoha. Just before they set out, Naruto heard his friend speak. "Naruto…I'm sorry."

Naruto turned his head to the side slightly, and nodded. "Yeah. And I forgive you. I'll always be there for you. But the rest is up to you."

With that, they headed for Konoha in silence.

Upon reaching the gate, the team walked up to the gate guards, whom they didn't recognize. Kakashi, as team leader, spoke for them. "Team 7 reporting back, mission success."

The guards looked at him in confusion before checking their lists. "You're not Team 7. Who are you?" the guard questioned in a not-so-friendly tone.

"We _are_ Team 7. I'm Hatake Kakashi, and this is—" before he could finish, the guard interrupted.

"Hatake? The only Hatake your age is dead." He signaled something to the rest of the guards, and several ANBU and chuunin surrounded the team.

"What's going on here?" Kakashi asked.

The guard answered, "you all have Konoha hitai-ate's, but you are more than suspicious. We'll be escorting you to the Hokage immediately. He'll know if you're really Konoha shinobi."

Kakashi was very confused, which he wasn't very often. _What the…? How do they not know who I am? Or who Naruto is? Naruto's the Leaf's second greatest hero, how could they possibly not recognize him?_

Deciding that arguing would only exasperate the situation further, Kakashi ordered his team to follow their instructions. As they headed towards the Hokage Tower, Kakashi couldn't help but notice that everything seemed very, very…off. _Everything looks new, and yet old at the same time. There are no signs of the damage from Pain's invasion._ And then he looked at the Hokage Monument, where he noticed that only three heads were present. Kakashi, having encountered many odd things throughout his shinobi career, went by an old adage: when one has eliminated all possibilities, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the answer. _There are no signs of destruction in the cliffside, meaning that the other two faces weren't removed. They were never built. Oh SH—_

"May I ask you gentlemen who is the current Hokage?" Kakashi asked, hoping for an answer despite the situation.

The guard looked at him even more suspiciously than before, if it was possible. "The Sandaime Hokage will destroy you if you try anything in his office, and he'll have a squad of ANBU to back him up. I suggest you explain yourselves fully before you surrender peacefully, spies."

At that, everyon'se but Sasuke's eyes widened as realization dawned on them. They looked up, saw the lack of two faces in the mountain, the same signs that Kakashi had noticed, and the lack of recognition that they were getting from the civilians. Realization dawned on all of their faces, and Kakashi nodded to them, as if to confirm their suspicions. The guard noticed this, and drew his tanto before placing it at Kakashi's throat. The silver-haired jounin was in no mood for threats, however. "I assure you, we are not spies. Hinata-san behind me has the Byakugan, as you can clearly see, and it would be more than inconvenient for us to cause a fight with the most powerful shinobi in this village with dead weight loading us down," he said as his head jerked towards Sasuke. The black-haired teen shot a glare at Kakashi, protest evident in his face, while Naruto snickered. The guard considered this, and lowered his tanto.

They reached the Hokage's office shortly after, and entered.

00000

He was getting old, Hiruzen decided. Were it not for the troubling rumors he'd heard about his student, Orochimaru, he would have picked him as his successor by now. He hated this blasted war, and wished it would end so he could enjoy a quiet retirement. Knowing his luck, his successor would die right after he was appointed, forcing Hiruzen back to work until he died of old age.

He sighed as he dismissed a messenger who had delivered disturbing news of Iwa's recent, massive advance. Hopefully Minato, someone he had been seriously considering as the best candidate for Yondaime Hokage, would be able to salvage the situation. If he did, his position as Yondaime Hokage was assured.

A knock sounded from the door. "Come in," he called.

Imagine his surprise when an older teen entered, looking like he could have been Minato's younger brother, along with a man Hiruzen could only describe as an older looking Kakashi or Sakumo's brother.

All of which, Hiruzen knew, was completely impossible, and purely a coincidence.

They all held Konoha hitai-ate, and yet Hiruzen recognized none of them. One of the girls definitely had the Byakugan, and yet no seal on her forehead, marking her as a member of the Main Branch of the Hyuuga Clan.

Apparently, they were just as surprised as he was, and their eyes widened a fraction. The blond, in particular, looked both surprised and happy to see him. "Who are you all? You carry the Leaf's symbol, and yet I know none of you. Explain yourselves, now."

Kakashi spoke up first, as per usual. "Hokage-sama, my name is Hatake Kakashi. I know this may seem absolutely crazy, and I wouldn't blame you if you thought I was insane for saying this, but I believe the reason you don't recognize any of us is because you don't really know us…yet."

"_Yet?_ I'm a busy man with a war effort to run, and I don't have time for cryptic answers."

"I haven't been able to confirm my theory, but since we were heading for Konoha and it should be peacetime, I believe there is no other explanation. I think we have somehow traveled to the past, Hokage-sama. If that's true, then we're from the future."

Hiruzen looked at Kakashi with a completely blank face. _I'm getting too old for this._"'From the future,' you say? You expect me to believe that? I've seen many things in my career, but spies claiming to be Konoha shinobi from the future is a new one. I applaud you for that."

"We can prove it," Kakashi replied.

"How?"

Kakashi seemed pensive for a moment. "What is the date?"

"Date? March 3rd, 206. Why?"

"March 3rd, 20—" Kakashi's eye widened in shock. "March 3rd!" Kakashi's companions looked at Naruto in confusion.

"What's wrong, Kakashi-sensei?" asked Naruto.

Kakashi turned to the Hokage, panic laced in his expression and voice. "You just sent Team Minato on a mission to destroy Kanabi Bridge, while you sent Minato to personally halt Iwa's advance of over 100 enemy nin. Uchiha Obito, Tatsushiro Rin, and Hatake Kakashi are going to infiltrate Iwa territory."

Hiruzen stiffened at once. He was not a stupid or ignorant man, and knew that it was simply not possible for a spy to have such detailed knowledge of the mission when it had only been given the day before. The other pieces began falling into place; the man in front of him carried an uncanny resemblance to the young Kakashi and Sakumo, and the Hyuuga girl couldn't possibly be someone from outside of Konoha. The mask was also something that he had only ever seen Kakashi do. "It seems that you may be telling the truth after all. But if you're really from the future, then who am I going to pick as my successor?"

Kakashi's look remained serious. "You will pick Namikaze Minato as your successor following his total victory over the 50 remaining Iwa shinobi using his legendary Flying Thunder God Technique."

The Hokage sighed. There was no refuting it now. "Very well. But I want you to start from the beginning and explain everything, now."

The jounin would have none of that. "There's no time. If we move now, we might be able to save them."

"Save _who?_"

The silver-haired man looked down with his single eye closed. Hiruzen's own experience told him that the man before him was recalling some painful memories. "My teammate, Uchiha Obito, saved my life at the cost of his own. I intend to return the favor."

Sarutobi sighed once again as he looked at the floor, lost in thought. "Then go. I can't afford to send anyone else, we're shorthanded enough as it is."

Kakashi nodded, and turned towards his team. "Sakura, Hinata, Sai; stay here and keep an eye on Sasuke. Naruto and I will deal with this. It's time for a family visit, I believe. Right, Naruto?"

The blond looked at his sensei in surprise before smiling, anticipation in his face blatant. "Good," the jounin continued. "I'll show you the way when we get there. We'll move out at once. You ready to move?"

With a nod, they were on their way. _I won't let my mistakes cost you, Obito. I'm going to protect you and Rin this time, I promise._

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**A/N: In case you were wondering, "Post Hoc, Ergo Proper Hoc" means "After, therefore because of." Essentially, it's a fallacy that if B happened after A, then A caused B. I thought it was a nice play on the idea that Kakashi's mistakes would lead him to a new opportunity to fix them in the past.**

**And no, 206 was not a typo. I know they keep track of the years, and seeing as Naruto's technology isn't incredibly modern, I wanted it to seem not too futuristic. This way I can establish a firm date. Once again, PLEASE REVIEW! It means a lot to me, I can't emphasize that enough.  
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	3. Ghosts of the Past

**A/N: Update Date: 6/25/10. I apologize in advance for any confusion regarding there being a future and past Kakashi to refer to, but I hope it works well enough. I'll be going back through the past couple chapters and changing a few things here and there, but nothing particularly significant will change plot-wise. If anyone is interested in beta'ing this story, please let me know. **

**Once again, PLEASE REVIEW! I know that many of you have added this story to your alerts and favorites, and if you do, PLEASE take a moment to send a review in, even if it is just as simple as "Good chapter, keep it up" or something. Reviews are the best motivator, and lead to faster updates.**

**Enjoy!  
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**Chapter 3: Ghosts of the Past, Saviors of the Future**

The Sandaime Hokage paced back and forth in his office for the hundredth time today. He wasn't much for surprises, and this recent turn of events was something he never imagined in even his wildest dreams. Which, he admitted, were usually not very wild. Still, the opportunities that were now available were astonishing, when he thought about it.

He would never have believed that man claiming to be from the future had it not been for several things that were impossible to explain otherwise. This 'Future Kakashi' knew things that a spy would not have been able to know, such as the exact mission details that he had given to Team Minato (his past team, now that he thought about it) the day before, including specific intel on the strength of the Iwa advance. He knew every member of Team Minato and knew who Hiruzen was picking as his successor, and why. He knew the name of Minato's signature technique, which only he, Minato himself, and Jiraiya knew. Then there were the other factors; this man claiming to be Kakashi looked exactly what the Kakashi he knew could look like in several years, down to the mask on his face. The hair style was rather unique, too. The man, along with all of the others that walked into his office, carried Konoha hitai-ate's that were all placed in ways that a spy wouldn't use. That girl with the pink hair, for instance, used hers in her hair, where it was not clearly visible. A spy would take no chances, and place it on the forehead, standard—they wouldn't want to attract attention or suspicion, after all—but only one of them wore it like that.

Speaking of the others, there was clearly a member of the Main Branch of the Hyuuga clan, and a teen who looked so similar to Minato that it was uncanny. But what ultimately convinced him was the way they acted. They all looked perfectly relaxed, though confused, but they were all smiling slightly. The older 'Kakashi' also acted too convincingly to be faked. The pained look on his face as he recalled what he claimed to be the death of his teammate was something Hiruzen knew all too well. And then there was the rather odd methodology he used; no group of spies would suddenly leave for the frontlines while leaving some of their group right in the Hokage's custody. If their treachery was discovered, the group still in Konoha would be killed on the spot; it simply made no sense for spies to act in such a way.

But above all else, he was an optimist at heart. He really, _really_ hoped they were telling the truth, because Konoha was struggling as it was. Fighting a war on two fronts, against Suna and Iwa at the same time, was proving too costly. If something didn't change soon, Hiruzen feared for Konoha's future. And if these people were really _from_ the future, then they would be able to help in so many ways. To have a somewhat young jounin and another shinobi heading to back up Team Minato would be a great relief. He could only hope that they would get there in time to make a difference.

000

_Things are finally starting to look up,_ thought Obito. _I've activated my Sharingan, we've saved Rin, and Kakashi seems to have changed. Even the mission seems to be within our grasp now. _

Kakashi released Rin from the genjutsu, and she looked up at her teammates with confusion and gratitude. "Obito…Kakashi?"

"We've come to save you, Rin. You're safe now!" said Obito.

"Alright," said Kakashi, "let's hurry up an untie you."

As they were about to leave, a voice they thought they would never hear again resounded in the cave. "I see. That was a nice combination you pulled off there. But you're just typical brats after all. I have you just where I want you now."

_This is NOT good!_ thought Obito. _We need to get out of here!_

The man weaved a few hand seals before slamming his hand on the ground. He looked up at the team with a smile. "Earth Release: Stone Dislodging Collapse."

And then all hell broke loose. The Iwa shinobi disappeared from the cave, as Kakashi ordered his team to make for the exit as rocks came crashing down around them. _Almost there!_

Suddenly, a rock smashed Kakashi's head from his new blind spot, causing him to collapse on the ground. Obito quickly stopped, and threw Kakashi to safety, before he heard a dreadful sound above him. For the moment he had left, Obito realized he was about to die. He felt several large impacts on his body before blacking out.

0000

Arriving at the battlefield, Minato quickly took stock of the situation. The four shinobi in front of him reported that they were all that was left, while Iwa was still 50 shinobi strong. He unsealed his special kunai from scrolls her carried in his pack, and ordered the four Konoha shinobi to throw them into the enemy group on his command. Before he could, however, another person jumped next to him.

Naruto had to put in a lot of effort to not let his emotions show. He was meeting his dad for the first time, really. His father was…_alive._ He would be able to talk to him, to get to know him, to walk beside him like he had wished ever since he was a child. But unfortunately, he had more important things to deal with right now. Like stopping his father from massacring the army of Iwa nin in a matter of seconds.

"Wait!" he yelled. Minato turned to face the newcomer, and did a perfect double take. This teen looked freakishly similar to himself, and yet Minato had never seen anyone with the same type of blond hair and blue eyes that he possessed. The teen seemed to have whisker marks on his face, and wore a Konoha hitai-ate.

"Who are you?" Minato asked.

"My name is Naruto, and I'm your backup."

Pausing for only moment, Minato pushed his previous thoughts aside. "Then stand back and help throw those kunai on my command. I'll handle the enemy." He brought his hands up to form a seal, but was stopped by the blond next to him. "What?"

"Don't. I know what you're about to do, and I'm telling you it's a bad idea. If you kill all of those Iwa nin like that, every citizen and ninja of Iwa will curse your name for generations. They'll never forgive you, and they'll take every possible opportunity to hurt you, your friends, and your family. There's a better way."

Minato was dumbfounded. Here were six shinobi facing off against over 50 veterans of war. Surely this teen didn't think he could singlehandedly take them on? What other way was there besides killing the enemy when you were outnumbered? "What are you talking about? Listen, kid, there's no time for heroics. This is our best chance, and we have to take it. Now."

"And I'm telling you there's another, better way. Hear me out."

The jounin considered his options. _Well, I can spare a few moments. If I don't like where it's going, I can start the technique at any time._ "Go ahead, and make it quick."

"We'll force their surrender through intimidation. I can definitely do that. I may not look like it, but I'm just as capable as you at taking on long odds."

The other blond stared at him, now confused. "And what do you think you can do?"

"First, you'll throw your kunai into the enemy army, but do not use your technique yet. Then, you can summon Gamabunta. That will give them pause."

_How do you know about that? _thought Minato. _You're giving ME pause!_

"Then I'll…add in my own intimidation, and following that you'll use your jutsu as if you were about to kill them all, but don't. Perhaps just a cut on each person, just to let them know what you _could_ have done. I'll handle the rest."

_Well, on one hand,_ thought the future Hokage, _I'll still start with throwing my kunai into the enemy army. If things go downhill, we'll still be able to pull off a victory._

"Fine. Throw the kunai!"

As the kunai sailed through the air, Minato summoned Gamabunta. The toad boss looked upon the battlefield with understanding. "You want me to fight them, kid?"

The 'kid' answered from atop the toad's head. "Not yet, Gamabunta-sama. We're going to try something."

Naruto then sat down on Gamabunta's head, and told Minato to buy him about half a minute by going ahead with his technique. Minato complied, and the Yellow Flash of Konoha sped through the Iwa army, cutting nearly every shinobi, leaving a non-lethal wound. Naruto stood up, and formed a single seal before several clones of him popped into existence. They spread out and a speed Minato found impressive (though nowhere near his own) towards the Iwa's flanks.

The original Naruto's hand formed something that caused Minato's jaw to drop. A blue sphere of chakra was sitting in the teen's hand, a perfect example of a technique that only he and his sensei knew. _How is this possible?_

What happened next caused the Yellow Flash's jaw to hit the floor. The clone then added wind chakra to the Rasengan, and the ball turned white as a wind-shuriken formed around the chakra sphere. _He added an element to it? Not even _I_ have been able to do that yet!_ The original then held the jutsu above his head, and Minato got a good look at the teen's eyes. _That red silhouette around his eyes, and the yellow with black, horizontal slits…Sage Mode? Since when did Jiraiya-sensei take on a new student?_

The blond enigma then _threw_ the chakra-shuriken right above the Iwa nin's heads, where it expanded before exploding. The Iwa shinobi looked beyond dazed, like they were wondering how they were still alive. Then, they saw several more of those chakra shuriken form from blond clones standing around the Iwa formation. Naruto spoke up in a rather loud voice. "Iwa shinobi! As you can clearly see, you are beaten! We can kill you all at any time! Lay down your weapons and put your hands on your heads, and we'll take you as prisoners! Resist, and you will be destroyed! We will not mistreat you, and you will all be released unharmed when the war is over! For now, we will place seals on each of you that will seal off your chakra until they are removed! Again, if you resist, you WILL regret it!"

The Yellow Flash looked at his companion in shock. _Just who the HELL is this guy? Jiraiya-sensei BETTER have some answers when we get back._

The Iwa ninja were quick to surrender. After seeing Yellow Flash mark them all, and that strange chakra shuriken explode over their heads, they were not eager to see what would happen should the other five chakra shuriken be thrown into their ranks. The giant toad was no help to their morale, either. Naruto created a dozen more clones, who went to work placing the seals on the enemy ninja. With that done, Minato turned to his mysterious benefactor. "And now what? We can't possibly escort over 50 shinobi through the forest with just six of us, even if their chakra is sealed. And how do you know so much about seals anyway?"

The chakra shuriken dissipated, and Naruto created 40 more clones. "Fifty isn't that many," he said with a smile.

_What…the…how can he possible make so many clones! Especially after using SIX of those chakra shuriken!_ "Who ARE you?"

The blond turned to his un-knowing father, with a warm smile adorning his face. "Namikaze Naruto."

"I have a cousin? Why wasn't I told? I thought my family was dead!"

Naruto looked down, almost solemnly. "Yeah. I know how you feel." A hand placed on his shoulder shook him from his thoughts. The teen looked up at his father.

"Regardless," he said, "thank you. At least now we'll be able to get to know each other."

_Yeah, Dad. We will._

00000

"OBITO!" Kakashi couldn't believe it. No, it could not be. Obito was not dead. It was impossible. His teammate had just saved his life. He couldn't be dead.

Rin, as much as she wanted to hope that she didn't see what she saw, knew the truth. She saw that huge boulder falling down towards a shocked Obito. There was no time to move, and it was too huge to dodge anyway. She didn't see his final moments, but that didn't matter. There was no chance that he was not crushed. Knowing this, she let the tears fall as she sank to her knees, sobs wracking her body. "Obito…" she whispered.

Kakashi seemed to finally be coming to terms with the situation. Try as he might, he couldn't reach where Obito was, in his mind, possibly still alive. After a futile effort to move the large boulders out of his way, he sank to his knees as well. "Obito..." Sobs wracked his body now, too. "DAMN IT! Damn it! Damn it…" His fist pounded the dirt in frustration as he cursed, and his sobs grew heavier. "If…if I had listened to you from the start, and we had gone to save Rin together, this wouldn't have happened to you!"

Rin turned to face her teammate, tears flowing freely from her eyes. "What kind of jounin am I? How could I have been so stupid?"

"Are you two crybabies done?" Kakashi and Rin spun around to face the man that had killed their teammate.

"You!" Kakashi yelled as he drew his father's tanto. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Hmph. Just try it, brat."

000

"Ugh…ugn." Obito awoke to see silver hair and a mask. "Kakashi?" he asked, his voice weak.

The man smiled back at him. _It's good to see you Obito. You have no idea…_ "Just wait here, I'll take care of the Iwa nin."

In a flash, Kakashi was gone. The jounin had managed to save Obito from serious injury, but the kid would need some medical attention and recovery time. _If only I could have saved you before, Obito. I'm so sorry._

He peered around the tree to see his younger self attacking the man Kakashi had once killed in a rage. Kakashi quickly recognized that his emotional, younger self was about to be killed. The Iwa nin cut the younger Kakashi across the chest, though thankfully it seemed to be relatively shallow. The older Kakashi rushed in, blocking the blade that was aimed at his younger self's heart. Both ninja looked at him with bewilderment. Kakashi idly mused that both the Iwa nin and the younger Kakashi probably thought that the White Fang had joined the fight. "Sorry, Kakashi-kun," he said, "but _I'm_ going to be the one that kills this man." _Okay, that was WEIRD._

Kakashi quickly formed a Raikiri and slammed it into the Iwa ninja's chest, straight through his metal blade. The man that had destroyed Kakashi's and Obito's life fell to the ground very much dead. He turned to face his younger self, seeing the astonished look on his face.

"Dad…?" he said.

Kakashi hadn't been expecting that, and he realized the emotional rollercoaster he must have just put his younger self through. "No, I'm afraid not. I was a friend of your father's though. You can call me…Dog."

Rin came next to the younger Kakashi, and began a healing technique for Kakashi. "How did you know we were here?" she asked.

"Experience and intuition," he answered.

With the excitement of the moment gone, the remaining members of Team Minato looked down, defeated and full of sorrow. Kakashi quickly realized why, and thought to relieve their heavy burden at once. "Excuse me, I'll be right back."

In a matter of seconds, Kakashi returned with a swirl of leaves, carrying Obito in his arms.

"Obito!" they yelled in unison.

"Don't worry, he's alright. He'll need some medical attention soon, though. When you're finished with Kakashi-kun, Rin, you can start on Obito."

Just after Kakashi set Obito down, he sensed several presences behind him. _Oh yeah, forgot about that part. Well, it's time for a little payback._

He turned towards the Iwa reinforcements and uncovered his Sharingan. Konoha's infamous Copy Ninja was about to make his past debut.

0000

Hiruzen addressed the remaining ninja in his office. "I'll want to hear all of your stories, as well. For now, I think we need to keep this whole thing under wraps. Until we know exactly what we're dealing with, I want each of you to assume identities that would make you unremarkable. If you're from the future, then we can't have anyone in the present recognizing you somehow." He turned to the girl with pink hair. "Sakura, was it?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," she replied.

"You'll go by the surname of Yoshida. Hinata, you'll need to cover your forehead with your hitai-ate; that way, you'll look like a Branch Family Hyuuga, and you won't be bothered. Sai, since you don't have a surname to begin with, I'm giving you one: Sasaki. And as for you, Sasuke. You're quite the mystery. It doesn't seem like you are particularly welcome here, if those seals and bindings are anything to go by."

"He was a missing-nin," Sakura clarified, "but not one beyond redemption, and I believe he is changing. Still, we'll keep an eye on him. His chakra and Sharingan are sealed, so he won't be a threat should the worst happen."

"Very well. I'll assign you private housing for diplomatic guests, and you'll take care of and guard Sasuke. And if you see your other friends, let them know that I wish to keep their…circumstances secret for now, until we can sort everything out. I'll write up the documents now. You must understand, however, that until I can completely trust you, you will all be assigned ANBU guards during your stay here."

"We understand. I would have done the same thing."

00000000

Kakashi and Rin knelt by their injured teammate and close friend. The relief in everyone's faces, even the older Kakashi, was evident. Rin was delivering treatment to Obito's injuried, and was finishing up.

_Obito_, thought the younger Kakashi, _I let you and Rin down in the worst way before. I promise, it will never happen again. _

Rin was deep in her own thoughts. _I've never felt happier in my life than when I saw you still alive. I'm going to make the most of this…I'm not going to take any of it for granted anymore._

"All done. How are you feeling, Obito?" The Uchiha weakly sat up.

"Ugn…much better, Rin. Thank you." He smiled at her and she returned the gesture.

'Dog' decided to break the moment. "We still need to take out that bridge. I'll carry Obito. Kakashi-kun, can you move on your own?"

The younger Kakashi was noticeably irked at being called 'Kakashi-_kun_,' but complied. He stretched a bit, testing his mobility. "I believe so, Dog-taicho."

"Then let's move."

A few hours and a destroyed bridge later, Team Minato headed home. _Only this time,_ Kakashi mused, _we won't be bringing any heavy burdens back with us._

_

* * *

_**A/N: For those of you who want to review (if you read all the way to here, PLEASE take the moment to do so), I have a few questions that, if you want to, you can answer.**

**1) How are the character interactions so far, especially between the past/future characters (Like Kakashi/Kakashi, and Naruto/Minato)?**

**2) Should focus more on introspection/reflection, or conversation?**

**3) Do you like where this story is heading?  
**


	4. Answers and Truthful Lies

**A/N: Update Date: 6/26/10. For those wondering about my other fic, They Were Legends, I WILL update it. Right now, however, I'm focusing on this, both due to the fact that I'm more in the mood to write about family than nonstop action and because this story is much more popular.**

**I'm also going to be playing with the timeline a bit, as well as canon plot, for creative reasons. Besides claiming creative freedom with this, I emphasize that Naruto and Co's arrival and actions have already changed things.  
**

**A note to those who reviewed and answered my questions from last chapter: Thank you! I really appreciated the comments, and this chapter was written today because of them.**

**Those of you who have this story on alert/favorites: PLEEEAAAASSEEEE review! It means so much, and makes me write more, and write it faster.  
**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Answers and Truthful Lies  
**

"So how have I never seen you before, let alone heard about you?" Minato asked. The remaining six Konoha shinobi were guarding the Iwa prisoners while waiting for requested reinforcements to handle the processing.

_Because I'm your long lost son from the future, Dad. On second thought, perhaps it's time for plan B…_ "Because I didn't even know my true surname until about a year ago, and I've been in ANBU since I was a little kid." _Close enough._

Minato sighed. _I can't believe I actually had family all this time, and never knew. But…how?_ "So how exactly are we related? I know you can't be my brother; my parents were killed when I was young. I never knew about an uncle, but…"

"I'm not sure myself. But given the similarities in how we look, and our surnames…I think cousin is probably the only way to put it." _Well, other than son from the future. Can't forget THAT possibility._

A short silence followed before the Yellow Flash recalled something else he had heard earlier. "Wait, you said you were in ANBU since you were little? How did that happen?"

_Uh oh._ "I guess I just made the cut. One of the people who took care of me when I was an orphan was in ANBU, and I looked up to him." _Did I mention that that ANBU was your student?_

That answer seemed to satisfy him. "It looks like it might take a while for reinforcements to show up…why don't you tell me about yourself?"

_Well , _thought Naruto,_ this should be interesting…_

00.000.00

Deciding to rendezvous with the rest of Team Minato before heading back home, the three ninja accompanying Kakashi were heading towards the once-heated battlefield.

"You said you were a friend of my father's?" asked the younger Kakashi.

"You could say that. I was your father's brother. I hope we were at least friends."

"My uncle? But…my father never mentioned a brother."

"You were very young when Sakumo died. And…we haven't seen each other in a very long time." _That part is all too true._

"What happened to your eye?" asked Rin. Apparently, the medic-nin had noticed the striking resemblance.

_Now for the hard part._ "An old injury from a battle. It's not something I like to talk about." _Also true._

The younger Kakashi was starting to put the pieces together. _This is too weird…he has the same mask, same hair, same 'missing' eye…but what else could it be? I DO look almost exactly like my father, so maybe my uncle would have the same issue._

"What's your name, by the way?" asked the kunoichi.

"Hatake Shigure."

00.000.00

In the morning breeze, Kushina stared off into the northwestern horizon. She had heard rumors of the worst kind, rumors that said her beloved Minato had been killed in the face of an Iwa army. He and his team had yet to return, and they were taking far longer than the few days Minato had promised they'd be gone. Even she was starting to fear the worst…

_You better come back, Minato-baka. I can't marry you when you're dead._

00.000.00

Naruto didn't use to be the most observant of people. Far from it, actually. But years training with a decorated war veteran and many life-and-death battles had forced him into the habit of picking up on little hints.

So when his sensei jumped into the clearing next to him with a younger Kakashi in tow, Naruto decided to wait and see how his sensei reacted. He didn't have to wait long.

"Minato-san, I'm Hatake Shigure, part of your team's backup. The destruction of Kanabi Bridge is complete."

_Minato-san? _thought Naruto. _So he's probably doing the same thing I am. I should give him a hint as well._ "About time you made it, Shigure-sempai. Though I guess I should thank you, seeing as I had some time to catch up with my new cousin."

The taller blond wasn't completely convinced, however. "Hatake? I wasn't aware there was another Hatake in the village. And your resemblance to Kakashi is…uncanny."

"I haven't been in contact with my brother, Sakumo, for a long time. And I've been an ANBU operative for most of my life. By all means, you _shouldn't_ know about me. And as for the resemblance…well, it seems to run in the family. Just ask Kakashi-kun." Queue another pout from the young jounin.

"Kakashi, what happened to your eye? And is Obito alright?"

"I'm afraid my eye's beyond repair, sensei. And Obito will be okay, he just needs some recovery time."

"Well, if your eye is damaged, then we seem to have quite a few replacements to choose from…" Minato said, gesturing to the many corpses that littered the battlefield.

Naruto stared at his father in shock. _Since when was my father this morbid? _The elder Kakashi picked up on Naruto's expression quickly.

"Such is the nature of war. If it's any consolation, I think we should leave our enemy's corpses alone; Konoha shinobi sign an agreement that allows such a thing to take place. It's one more way they can help their comrades, even in death." The older Kakashi seemed to mull this over for a few moments, before continuing, "though this presents a unique opportunity. Are there any Uchiha among the casualties?"

It was Rin's turn to have a shocked expression. "You don't mean…"

"I do. Trust me, the benefits would make any drawbacks worth it. Though it does depend on what you think about the matter, Kakashi-kun."

The silver-haired teen looked down as all eyes turned to him. He considered what it would be like to appear cycloptic the rest of his life, recalling how Shigure himself looked. _Actually,_ he thought,_ that's probably exactly how I'd look like in a decade or two. And to have the Sharingan…_ Kakashi looked over to his teammate.

Obito spoke up, his voice still weak. "If you want to, do it. I'd hate to surpass you while you blame the whole thing on my Sharingan."

They both smiled at that. "Well, if there are any, I'll do it."

"I'll start the procedure as soon as you're ready," said Rin.

Minato turned to his 'cousin.' "Naruto, do you think your clones can find one?"

Hating the idea of such a task, but knowing why it was so important, Naruto reluctantly agreed. _I guess now Kakashi can have his cake and eat it too._

One eye-transplant later, Team Minato set up camp while Kakashi and Naruto's shadow clone army stood guard. Deciding that it was time to set their story straight, the two headed to a secluded area.

"What did you tell Minato-sensei?" asked Kakashi.

"I told him that my name is Namikaze Naruto, and he assumed that I was his cousin. There doesn't seem to be any other way to explain it. What about you?"

"I told them that I was my father's brother, and they seem to buy it. At least for now, anyway. Anything else that might have given you away?"

"Well…" Naruto scratched the back of his head as he laughed nervously. "You see, I sort of…um…kind of used the Rasenshuriken."

Kakashi stared at his student with a look that said, _'You've GOT to be kidding me. And yet I'm not the least bit surprised.'_ "Anything _else?_"

Naruto fidged even more, mirroring an old habit of Hinata's. "Eh…well…I sort of used mass shadow clones…"

Kakashi face-palmed. "Fine. As long as there wasn't anything els—"

"And Sage Mode."

Kakashi banged his head on a nearby rock. Multiple times. "Naruto, do you have ANY idea how hard that is going to be to explain? Jiraiya is the ONLY person who can use Sage Mode at this time. Hell, in our time, YOU were the only person after him capable of it. The only way to explain that is to say you have been Jiraiya's long time student. Do you realize how risky that is?"

"Erm…Ero-sennin hasn't even met me yet in this time?"

"Exactly. And I'm pretty sure Minato-sensei is going to talk to Jiraiya-sama the first thing when he gets back. And guess what? I'm _also_ pretty sure that Minato-sensei knows how to find his sensei much better than we do."

Naruto laughed nervously yet again. "Well…maybe I could use the toads to get in contact with him?"

"Well, it's worth a shot."

"Alright! Here we go, summoning jutsu!" There was a puff of smoke, and then…nothing. "EH?"

"As I feared. Since you technically haven't been born yet, there's no way you've signed the summoning contract."

"Oh." The blond considered this for a moment. "Oh…dammit."

"Well, look on the bright side."

"Huh?" replied the teen.

"Minato-sensei seems to have bigger things to deal with at the moment."

00.000.00

"It's ironic, you know."

The Not-So-Last-Uchiha looked up at his ex-teammate.

She continued, "you were much more talkative when you were an evil, stupid idiot than when you were actually the nice Sasuke I used to know."

Sasuke snorted at that, before revealing a hint of a smirk. This did not go unnoticed by Sakura.

"I know something that might cheer you up," she said. Sasuke looked back up at her, curiously. "At this point in time, the Uchiha Massacre hasn't happened yet. Your family is still alive."

For some reason, Sasuke never even thought about that. He had given his family so little thought outside of the perspective of revenge that he had never even considered the possibility of ever seeing them again. His shocked expression was all the confirmation that the pink-haired kunoichi needed. "So, the whole reason for your twisted revenge is alive and kicking, and still will be for some time. You can either make the most of that, or continue brooding in a prison cell. Your choice."

She untied Sasuke's bonds and stood up to leave the room. "Oh, and in case you're wondering, Itachi would be a baby at this point. Food for thought."

With that, she closed the door.

00.000.00

The next morning, the Iwa shinobi set about gathering the corpses and performing burials, while the Konoha Shinobi did the same for their side. "I want you all to know," said Minato, "that a memorial will be built here in due time. For both sides." This gesture meant a lot to the Iwa nin, who were feeling bitter at the sheer amount of burials being performed in a single morning.

Rin tended to the wounded while Kakashi tried to keep Minato from asking the dreaded and obvious question, 'Are you Jiraiya-sensei's student?' to Naruto. At one point, Minato ended up asking how 'Shigure' knew so much about how the Sharingan would work when implanted into a non-Uchiha. After thinking for a moment, 'Shigure' decided to tell the truth.

Somewhat. "Because I too have a Sharingan implanted in my eye." To prove this, he moved his hitai-ate up, revealing his fully developed Sharingan.

Minato was momentarily stunned. "But…how? I've never heard of something like that before."

"It happened on a mission, a long time ago. My teammate was an Uchiha, and he was fatally wounded. My eye had been injured, and my teammate decided to give his Sharingan to me as his final act." The pain of reliving those past memories was still there, but Kakashi noted that his heart no longer felt guilt when recalling them. _I guess it never happened except in my memory now. Then why does it still get to me like this?_

"I'm sorry."

Kakashi turned to his sensei. "Hm? For what? It wasn't your fault. Besides, I think I've finally come to terms with it…"

Two days later, the requested reinforcements showed up to transport and process the prisoners. Deciding that there was strength in numbers, and such a transport would be especially vulnerable, Minato and his companions decided to walk back to Konoha. Kakashi, however, had slightly different plans.

"Naruto," he said, "you should go ahead to Konoha and report what has happened to the Hokage. It will also speed the processing of the prisoners up." Which of course meant, '_Naruto, get your ass to Konoha ASAP, find Jiraiya, and clean up this mess that you started, NOW._'

"You got it." Naruto was all-too-eager to get out of dodge. His father couldn't question him if he wasn't there.

"On second thought, I should probably go as well," said Kakashi.

Minato turned to his 'cousin' and 'Shigure' with a sad look. Naruto realized that he didn't want to say goodbye to his new 'cousin' so soon. _Then again, _thought Naruto,_ neither do I. But Kakashi-sensei would put me through one thousand years of death if I stayed, so…_

"Very well. We'll see you both in Konoha, right?"

Naruto nodded, and everyone said their goodbyes before parting ways.

00.000.00

Arriving at the northern gates within a day, Naruto and Kakashi flashed the guards the papers the Sandaime had given them to avoid any incidents, such as the one that started this whole mess. They arrived at the Hokage's office within a few minutes.

"Go ahead. Hokage-sama has been expecting you," said the ANBU guard.

Hiruzen looked upon the strangers with uneasiness. _Have they let the secret out?_

"Hokage-sama, mission complete. Kanabi Bridge has been destroyed, and the Iwa forces have been defeated and taken prisoner, with the group heading back as we speak," reported Kakashi.

Relief washed over Hiruzen's face. The news was all that he could have hoped for, and more. _Well, time for the…sensitive part._ He weaved a few hand seals, and several seals imprinted in the office glowed for a moment. "This room is now sound-secure, just like before. Now, I need to know two things. One, whether or not anyone else is aware of your…circumstances. And two, your whole story, from the beginning. In that order, please."

Naruto spoke up this time. "We don't think anyone is aware of our 'circumstances,' as you put it, but we had to use cover stories. The only problem is that you'll need to find and summon Jiraiya-sensei right now. I'm supposed to be a student of his."

Hiruzen sighed at that. "You are trying to avoid suspicion, and you claim to be a student of _Jiraiya of the Sannin?_"

"Well, it's true. I AM a student of his." To prove this, Naruto quickly formed a Rasengan in his hand. The Sandaime's eyes widened for a few moments.

_Well_, he thought,_ any doubts I had about them not being spies are probably moot now, considering that this teen just performed an A-rank jutsu that only two people know._ "Very well, I'll send for him as soon as we finish out little chat."

"You should also know that we are going by the names of Hatake Shigure and Namikaze Naruto, and it would be best for my companions to know that immediately," said Kakashi.

"Namikaze? You're a descendent of Minato?"

"His son," Kakashi replied.

"Well, that would certainly explain a lot. Anything else I should know?"

"We have both been in ANBU since we were little, until recently."

"Okay. I'll make the necessary documents. Before you begin your story, however, how exactly did you get here?"

Naruto and Kakashi looked at each other before the blond spoke up. "I'm calling it right now. Sasuke-teme did it."

Kakashi sighed. This was going to be a _long_ day.

00.000.00

After a lengthy explanation, Kakashi went to check in with the rest of Team 7 while Naruto decided to wait at the northern gates. Kakashi told him that they wouldn't arrive for another couple days at least, but Naruto didn't care, and Kakashi acted like his old self and merely shrugged.

Naruto lost track of time while he stood on top of the village wall, staring out towards Iwa. Seeing his father alive, and _talking_ to him had been a crazy experience. In a way, Naruto had fulfilled a childhood dream of his: to fight alongside the legendary Yondaime Hokage and earn his acknowledgement. He felt like he had just found something he had been missing his whole life, or filled a hole in his heart that he didn't even know was there. His musings carried on into the night, and for once Naruto didn't think about stopping for ramen while in the village.

"Are you waiting for someone, too?"

Naruto, shaken from his thoughts, turned around to see something that nearly made him fall over the edge of the wall in surprise. There, standing right in front of him, was his mother. He did his best to not look like he'd just seen a ghost, and addressed the newcomer. "Umm, yeah. I went on ahead to report to the Hokage, but the rest of my team should arrive in a couple days. Still, I needed some time to think."

"Rest of the team?" she asked. Kushina heart lightened, if only slightly, at the hope that this teen in front of her knew what happened to her love. "Was…umm…Namikaze Minato one of your teammates, by chance?"

Naruto smiled. This was something that he had not anticipated at all. "Yeah."

Kushina seemed about to burst. All she needed now was confirmation. "Is he okay?" she asked, in a rushed voice that did little to hide the anxiety she was feeling.

"Yes, he's fine."

The red-head let a tear escape her eye before wiping it away. "Thank goodness…thank you. Thank you…"

Seeing his mother like this nearly brought a tear to Naruto's eye, as well. _They really love each other. _"No need to thank me. I'm sure Minato would have kicked Iwa's butt whether I was there or not. _Because that's exactly what he did. A little TOO well, I might add._

"Regardless, thank you for being the bearer of great news. What is your name, if I may ask?"

_Well, here goes nothing._ "Namikaze Naruto."

The surprise on her face was something he'd better get used to, Naruto mused. "What? Minato-kun never mentioned that he had family before…"

_He technically DOESN'T, at least not yet._ "That's because I didn't even know we WERE family until recently. And he didn't know about me at all. Which isn't his fault, in case you were thinking that."

"Oh…oh! I'm sorry. I never gave you my name. Uzumaki Kushina."

_Technically, Mom, you DID give me my name. Seventeen years ago._"It's nice to meet you." _You have no idea _how_ nice, Mom._

"Likewise."

Naruto had a question nagging at him in the back of his mind, and there was only one way to answer it. "Say, Kushina, would you like to grab some ramen? I haven't eaten dinner yet."_Come on, I NEED to know. Where did I get my ramen addiction from? _

"I'd love to. Come on, I know this great place downtown. My treat."

00.000.00

After a quick knock, Kakashi entered the suite where his team was staying. He saw Sasuke sitting on the couch, looking at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world, Sakura reading a book, and Hinata and Sai talking. All turned to face him when he entered.

"Kakashi-sensei? What happened? Where's Naruto?" asked Sakura.

After filling them in on the events of the last couple days, Kakashi turned to Sasuke. "As for how we ended up in the past…any explanation, Sasuke? None of Naruto's techniques are capable of something like that, which leaves you."

"Hn," replied Sasuke. "Well…there is a technique I have, which I tried to use, that allows me to go back a few seconds in time, but nothing like this. It requires a lot of chakra to use, and only affects me."

Sakura turned to her teammate in feign surprise. "Wow, Sasuke, I think that's the most you've spoken at one time without saying the words 'revenge' or 'pain' since…ever?"

The Uchiha answered with a grunt. "Well, I guess that would explain it," said Kakashi.

Everyone looked up at him. "Your technique, whatever it was, worked. It just worked TOO well. My guess is that the chakra from Naruto's technique somehow got added into your technique, and instead of a few seconds, we got several years."

Sasuke wasn't so sure. "There's no way _that_ much chakra could have been used."

"This is _Naruto_ and the _Kyuubi_ we're talking about, Sasuke. And the most powerful technique I've ever seen."

"Hn."

Sakura raised her fist very threateningly. "Sasuke, I swear, if you grunt, say 'hn,' or snort _ONE MORE TIME_, I'm going to punch you back to the future!"

Sasuke gulped at that.

00.000.00

Naruto was overjoyed when he saw that Ichiraku Ramen still existed this far into the past. His mother led him to the stand, stopped just outside the entrance. "This is the best ramen stand in the world." She paused, blushing a bit before continuing. "I warn you though, I'm an animal when it comes to eating ramen."

_Mystery solved._ "Care for a wager?" he aksed.

"Hm?"

"Whoever eats more ramen doesn't have to pay the bill."

She raised an eyebrow and smirked at that, no doubt thinking how she had unknowingly suckered the teen into paying for her meal. _Naruto,_ she thought, _I may not look like it, but I can even out-eat an Akimichi when it comes to ramen. I'm sorry, but it looks like you're going to be paying a hefty sum tonight. _"You're on."

They entered the stand and Kushina yelled out, "start us off with three bowls each, Teuchi-san!"

* * *

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! For those who do, if you want to, I have a few questions for you to answer:**

**1) How are the character interactions in this chapter?**

**2) Is everything relatively believable so far?**

**3) Do you like where this story is heading?**

**4) Is anyone OOC in an unbelievable way?**

**As for what I mentioned above, Naruto and Co's arrival and actions have already changed things. Minato's delayed return, for example, causes Kushina to worry. In turn, she follows the same methodology as many couples do during a time of war: she wants to get married or progress the relationship quicker, rather than slower, because one of them may die before they know it. You'll see more stuff like this later on.  
**


	5. Love and War

A/N: Thanks for the reviews I've been getting, guys! It's because of those that this chapter is out so soon.

You'll notice that I've added in Kushina's "ttebane" verbal tic in the form of "like," and "umm." I may go back to the previous chapter and add this in, but we'll see. Personally, I think it's very fun to write this way.

**Remember, any reviews are appreciated! If you've got this story on alert/favorites, PLEASE REVIEW! Even a single sentence will mean a lot.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Love and War**

Of the many, many bombshells that had been dropped into his lap this evening, Hiruzen was focused on one in particular. _Orochimaru…when did you descend to such depths? When did you start hating Konoha? What _happened_ to you?_ He could not comprehend how Orochimaru would perform such horrendous acts, and that made him feel all the more guilty. _How could I have not seen this coming? How could I have not prevented it? Why can't I understand you?_ Of the many questions he had been asking himself, that last one kept reverberating in his head. He no longer understood his student. He didn't know his goals, his motivations, his hobbies, or anything of substance, really. Somewhere along the line, his student had become a monster.

Or at least, he was already a monster, and would _become_ an abomination. After hearing Kakashi's tale of Orochimaru invading Konoha with the intent to destroy it, he paled. When he heard that his student had _killed_ him, he was in shock.

Hence why he was in his office, talking with Jiraiya about killing their student and teammate. It seemed surreal, but neither of them believed that Orochimaru was still good, and that the horrid rumors were simply rumors. He would have to make sure, of course, but deep down he knew what he would find. That didn't mean that he wouldn't regret everything, from his failure as a sensei to his failure as a Hokage. He had to protect his village, even if it meant killing his own student.

The two legendary shinobi, along with a squad of ANBU, headed for where they believed Orochimaru's hideout would be, based on Kakashi's intel. After seeing the experiments and horrors for himself, Hiruzen no longer had any doubts about his 'future' advisers or the true nature of his student. With a heavy heart, teammate and teacher ended the life of the White Snake that night.

00.000.00

"Another bowl Teuchi-san!" both patrons yelled in unison. After 10 bowls each, Naruto and Kushina were neck and neck. Kushina was more than surprised at this teen's ability to keep up with her. She had never seen anything like it. She had a reputation among her friends of having a bottomless pit for a stomach when it came to ramen, and Naruto was matching her every bite.

"Another bowl Teuchi-san!" they yelled in unison, once again. And so the heated competition continued, causing them to stare at each other as they devoured bowl after bowl. Neither knew when it would end, but they would continue on until their stomachs could hold no more.

Fortunately for them both, a third factor came into play. "Another bowl Teuchi-san!"

Teuchi looked baffled. "I can barely handle the orders when it's just you, Kushina! With the both of you at this late hour, I've run out of ingredients!"

It was Naruto's and Kushina's turn to be baffled. Ichiraku's, _out of ingredients?_ Such a phenomenon couldn't possibly happen. But apparently, it had.

"Well," said Kushina, "I _did_ originally say this was my treat. And keeping up with me deserves a reward of its own. I'll cover it."

Naruto was thinking of protesting, but realized that he had almost no money on him at all. _Oh yeah, kind of left it all in the future. Huh. Might be hard to just go and pick it up._ Deciding on another course of action, he struck up some conversation. "I couldn't help but notice how much you cared about Minato's well being. Anything, like, going on between you two?"

Kushina immediately blushed, appearing very flustered. "Like, yeah. We're, um, pretty close."

He wasn't about to let her remain vague. "How close, exactly?"

Her blush deepened. "Like, I want to marry him, uh—" she immediately covered her mouth, realizing what she had said. "Like, don't tell Minato I said that! I-I haven't told him that yet!" She was beyond flustered now, and Naruto was enjoying every second of it.

"You don't need to worry, Kushina. Your secret is safe with me!" _Sort of._

The Bloody Habanero paid the bill, and the two continued talking. "I can tell you two really love each other," said Naruto. "Minato mentioned how he couldn't wait to see you when he got back to Konoha." Naruto couldn't help but smile when he recalled hearing that. It had been on the walk with the Iwa prisoners when the father and son somehow got on the topic of what they couldn't wait to do when they got home.

"_I can't wait for a nice shower," said Naruto. "I really had to haul ass to get here. What about you?"_

_Minato blushed and looked at the ground before answering. "I've got a girlfriend back home. We've been getting pretty…erm…close…recently."_

_Naruto found such a hesitant manner very out of place on someone who was usually keen and quick to act. "Close?" he asked._

_His blush deepened. "Erm…you could…say that." Naruto got the meaning and had to hold back a snicker. "I really love her, and I think she feels the same way about me."_

"Like, r-really?" asked Kushina.

Naruto couldn't hold back the snicker this time. "Yeah. He mentioned that you two had been getting rather…_close_…recently. I think he'll be just as _excited_ as you when he gets back."

Kushina's face turned as red as a tomato at Naruto's implications, which caused him to crack up. _Way to live up the nickname, Mom!_

The rest of their conversation steered to calmer waters. After a while, Naruto decided to call it a night. "I've got to head home, but it was really nice talking with you. We should do it again sometime."

"I would like that," said the redhead. As he turned to leave, Kushina called out. "Naruto?"

He turned back to face her. "Hm?"

"Thank you." With a nod and a smile, Naruto departed, feeling like yet another hole in his heart had been filled.

00.000.00

The next morning, Kakashi and his team were standing in the Hokage's office, only this time Jiraiya himself was present, looking very downtrodden.

"Jiraiya, I understand that you're going through a lot right now, but this is important," said Hiruzen. _And utterly insane,_ he mentally added.

The Toad Sage slowly looked up at his sensei before nodding. "What I'm about to tell you," he continued, "is an S-rank secret, and shall not be repeated outside of this office. Are we clear?"

Another nod. "Good. Then try not to jump to conclusions from what I'm about to tell you. This group you see here, are…well, they're from another time. The future, to be more specific."

Jiraiya turned to look at the group. After killing someone he had considered a brother, in a unique and twisted way, he was in no mood for matters this crazy. "Hn."

"Jiraiya, I'm telling you this now, because in order to maintain this secret, you need to become a part of their cover story, as we can't have this secret coming out quite yet. Do you understand?"

The white-haired man narrowed his eyes. "You brought me in here to talk about nonsense like this?"

Before the Sandaime could answer, the blond spoke up. "I've never seen you this angry before, Ero-sennin. It doesn't suit you."

The man turned to face Naruto. "What the hell are you talking about, brat?"

"Like Oji-san said, we're from the future. Crazy as it sounds, it's true. You need proof? How about this: Nagato and Konan are alive."

The toad sage's eyes went wide. "Y-you…how do you know that?"

"Because I heard it from Nagato himself, several years into the future. If I'm correct, Yahiko may still be alive, but he won't be for long. He's leading a peaceful resistance movement which Hanzo the Salamander and Danzo of Konoha intend to crush. He'll die in the ambush, and Nagato will grow to hate Konoha."

This part was news to Hiruzen. "Danzo? I didn't want to believe that my old friend could do such a thing, but…" he sighed. "I'll have to deal with him immediately. In the mean time, however, we still need to discuss what we came here to discuss."

"Which is?" asked Jiraiya.

"The fact that Naruto has been your student for several years, and that you've taught him senjutsu and the Rasengan."

"He's what?"

"Like I said, we need to establish a cover story. Naruto here used both the Rasengan and senjutsu in front of Minato, and the only way he won't get suspicious is if you tell him that he's been your student for several years when Minato asks."

Taking this in for a moment, Jiraiya nodded. "Anything else?"

Naruto interjected. "Yeah. Because of the whole time travel thing, I technically haven't signed the Toad summoning contract yet. I'd like to do that as soon as possible."

"Very well." Jiraiya carried the contract on him, so the procedure took very little time at all. However, he noticed something in the signed name. "Namikaze Naruto? Who are you, exactly?"

Naruto smiled. "Minato's son."

Jiraiya's jaw dropped. "_You're_ the guy's _son_? Wow…"

"And you're my godfather, by the way," Naruto added.

"_What?_ Jeez…well, I definitely did not expect to hear anything like this when I came into the office. Wait, who's the mother?"

"I'll give you a hint: I'm a ramen addict."

"_Kushina?_ You must have quite the genes, kid. A ton of chakra too, I'll bet."

_You have NO idea, Ero-sennin._ "Yeah…"

"Hmph. Well, I need to head to Amegakure as soon as possible. If Yahiko's in danger, I'll do whatever I can."

"Wait," said Hiruzen. "You must wait until Minato returns to deliver the cover story. As soon as that's done, you may leave."

Jiraiya visibly deflated. He had been hoping to get to Ame as soon as possible. "Fine. Anything else you can tell me, kid?"

"Yahiko is leading some kind of peace movement, but Hanzo sees it as a threat to his power. Danzo will, if he hasn't already, strike a deal with Hanzo in an attempt to gain power. They'll lure Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan into a joint ambush under the disguise of negotiations."

"I see. Sensei, can you handle Danzo on your end?"

Hiruzen nodded. "I'll do what I can. At the very least, I'll strip him of his power. But back to the matters at hand. From what I've heard from Kakashi-san and Naruto-san, many of you and your classmates will be born relatively soon. I suggest avoiding all contact with your families until…excuse me, but this is very awkward to say…until your mothers are pregnant with each of you and your classmates. You know why. In the mean time, maintain the cover stories each of you are going by, and I'll assign you all separate housing to avoid suspicion. The only exception to this will be you, Sasuke-san. Your past actions, from what Kakashi-san tells me, have been…questionable, at best. But your teammates say that you are changing, so I will maintain limited security and surveillance. As per your recommendation, Sakura, Sasuke will be staying in your suite, in a separate room. Is this acceptable?"

Sasuke looked to his teammate nervously. He honestly didn't want to sleep anywhere _near_ that psycho woman, but he considered the likely alternative: Sai. _Yeah, I'll just keep quiet._

The Sandaime turned to face the blond. "Now, I know you've already had contact with your father, Naruto, but I suggest you avoid contact with your parents whenever possib—"

"It's a little too late for that, Oji-san…hehe…" the blond laughed nervously. "I sort of…erm…ran into my mother last night. Anyway, I think I've messed things up already, so it won't make a difference if I keep seeing them."

Hiruzen sighed. Again. _Does this kid know how to _not_ screw everything up?_

00.000.00

It was the next day when Minato and the group of Iwa prisoners arrived at the northern gates. Naruto and Kushina had been waiting on the village wall, talking and growing closer all the while. When she saw the group approaching, she beamed.

Naruto had a thought quickly pass through his head, however. "Kushina, you should wait until the prisoners are out of sight before greeting Minato."

She turned to him, confused. "Why?"

_Because in my time, Iwagakure would take any possible chance to hurt Minato and everyone close to him._ "Because they're enemy prisoners who will be released when the war is over. Introducing yourself as Minato's lover is probably not the best idea. You don't want to make yourself and any children you might have a target."

Kushina blushed at the mention of the word 'children,' but nodded. She saw the group enter the village and the disappointed look on Minato's face when he didn't see her among the crowd waiting for him. Kushina looked particularly jumpy after that, but Naruto held her arm, preventing her from making any rash decisions. The crowd cheered for their hero, and the prisoners were handed over to several Konoha shinobi. Minato asked that the Iwa prisoners be treated with respect, and they were all too eager to obey their biggest hero. Once the prisoners were out of sight, Naruto released her arm and she jumped down to greet her love, with Naruto following close behind.

"Minato-kun!" she yelled, as she all but tackled the blond. Before he could respond, she gave him a passionate kiss, which caused many of the crowd to cheer and holler. She pulled back, but only just enough to look into his eyes. "I was so worried…I heard terrible rumors…and after you were gone for so long, I started to fear—"

Minato interrupted her with a kiss of his own. "That's why you shouldn't listen to rumors. Besides, I had some great help. Turns out I've had a cousin for years, and never knew about it. His name is—"

"Namikaze Naruto. I know," she said.

Minato looked up at her in confusion. "You do? Since when?"

"Since two days ago. We were both waiting for you on the village wall, and we've been talking ever since. He's got just as big an appetite for ramen as I do!"

He looked at her like she had just said she was pregnant. "_What?_"

"It's not hard to eat so much of the best food in the world." The couple turned around to see the subject of their conversation standing in front of the crowd, a huge grin on his face.

Seeing his parents like this brought Naruto a happiness that he only felt when he was with Hinata. It was a sense of belonging, he realized. That feeling of being loved, which was still new to him, had become distinct over the past year.

"Naruto!" said Minato. "I was going to introduce you two, but it seems you have already beaten me to the punch. Though I do have some other questions for you later," he said. Naruto noticed that Minato's expression had grown more serious at that last part.

"I was just about to go find Jiraiya-sensei. Wanna come?"

00.000.00

In the office of the Hokage, Hiruzen was left with a rather annoying dilemma. On one hand, he was planning on announcing Minato as his successor upon his return, but on the other hand, Minato would then have access to every village secret, including one the blond _could not know_ until Kushina was pregnant. His retirement, it seems, would have to wait.

Ten minutes later, the very subjects of his thoughts entered his office, looking for Jiraiya. _Exactly as planned,_ thought Hiruzen. He had arranged for Jiraiya to just 'happen' to be present in his office at the time.

"Sensei!" Minato said with a huge grin on his face. "It's good to see you again!"

"Likewise, Minato. I assume Naruto was a big help on the mission?"

"Yes. Speaking of Naruto, you wouldn't have happened to take him on as a student, would you?"

"Yes, I did. It was several years ago, in fact."

Minato's expression then turned serious. "If that's true, then why haven't I found out about him until now?"

"Because neither of us knew of Naruto's true surname until recently, and after we did, it became a secret I was not authorized to tell you. I'm sorry."

The Yellow Flash seemed to buy this, as his anger on the issue had long since disappeared after spending time with his 'cousin.' "Well, there was something else I've wanted to ask. Several things, actually."

"Shoot."

Minato turned to his relative. "So how exactly did you manage to add an element to the Rasengan, let alone _throw it_?"

Naruto decided that using as much truth as possible would work well here. "I use shadow clones to add the element while the original maintains the technique. As for throwing it, I can only do that in Sage Mode."

The other blond seemed to be taking mental notes. "And about Sage Mode, how did you manage to learn it at such a young age?"

_Yeah, can't answer that one. _"I just had a knack for it, I guess." _A knack that may or may not have to do with the Kyuubi sealed inside of me._

That answer seemed to satisfy him enough, at least for now. "Well, it's been a long day. Why don't we head home, Kushina-chan?"

Naruto noticed his mother's blush, and smiled. _My work here is done._

00.000.00

Obito smiled at the sight before him. Ever since the mission deep into Iwa territory, he had really reflected back on his life, which he had very nearly lost. He and Kakashi had finally become good friends, and he'd awakened his Sharingan. He'd proven himself to his team, and Rin started opening up to them both more. All in all, he was very happy.

Obito and Kakashi had been trying to figure out the Sharingan together, giving them yet another bond. Kakashi realized that with the Sharingan, he could safely use his original jutsu, Chidori.

But that realization brought him to another one. He paused, looking down while his mind recalled something. His teammates noticed this.

"What's wrong, Kakashi?" asked Obito.

"Well, I remember…my uncle, Hatake Shigure…when he rescued us, he used a really similar jutsu to my Chidori. It looks almost exactly alike. I guess it's not an original jutsu after all…"

"No, it's definitely original." They all spun to the source of the voice.

"Shigure-jisan?" asked Kakashi.

The older man jumped down to the three ninja. "Your jutsu is definitely original, Kakashi-kun."

"But…how? You used one that looks exactly like mine."

Kakashi sighed. He'd been considering this course of action for a while now. Since his former self and his teammates had already been born and could definitely keep a secret, Kakashi saw no harm in letting his team know the truth. He had been watching them on their team training ground—his old training ground—for a while now. "What I'm about to tell you is considered an S-rank village secret, and is to be repeated to no one unless given express permission by either myself or the Hokage. Got it?"

They all nodded. "Now that you understand that part, understand that what I'm about to tell you is crazy and I still don't fully understand it myself."

They waited for him to continue. "Well, I guess it's like this. I'm from the future."

No, Kakashi had never really been known for his eloquence with words. Obito was the first to formulate words. "…what?"

"You mean…you're from the future?" asked Rin.

"Yes. My real name, as you may have already guessed, is Hatake Kakashi. It's nice to see you all again. It's been quite some time." At that, everyone's eyes went wide.

The younger Kakashi spoke up. "Wait…you're…_me?_ From the _future_?"

Kakashi the elder nodded. "So…wow. Everything makes sense now. Wait, then what happened to _your_ eye?"

He lifted his hitai-ate to reveal a three-tomoe Sharingan. Rin, Obito, and Kakashi gasped. "So you got a transplant too?" asked the younger Kakashi.

"Yes. Though the circumstances were…different."

"Different? How?" asked Obito.

Kakashi sighed, and looked up into the sky. "I'm not sure you guys really want to know. At least not yet."

The younger Kakashi's face turned serious. "I _definitely_ want to know."

The older man turned to his younger counterpart. "This Sharingan wasn't taken from the body of a dead Uchiha. This Sharingan…was yours, Obito," he said, turning to face his old teammate at the mention of his name.

This confession seemed to confuse them all the more, so Kakashi clarified. "Do you remember that cave in after rescuing Rin?" They all nodded, so he continued. "In my time, there wasn't a future me coming to save the day. A large boulder…crushed Obito's right side." Their faces turned to expressions of shock and horror as Kakashi's voice became laced with pain. "He…you…were dying. And you knew it. So you decided to give me your Sharingan eye as your gift to me for becoming a jounin. It was your final act. With your eye, I was able to complete the Chidori, and defeated that Iwa shinobi who had killed you. Before we could say our goodbyes, reinforcements from Iwa showed up. I don't really remember what happened after that, but Minato-sensei saved the two of us."

Rin was letting her tears flow freely, while the younger Kakashi even let a few tears escape his eye. Obito stared at the ground, trying to contemplate how fortunate he had been, and what dying would have felt like. "I'll never forget that mission, even though it only happened in my memory now. I haven't stopped feeling guilty about it all until I saved you, Obito. Until I corrected my biggest past mistake."

Obito looked up at him. "It was never your fault to begin with, baka."

The elder Kakashi looked at Obito with surprise. "I can't believe you'd blame yourself for that all this time. Jeez, I always knew you had a stick up your ass."

At this, both Kakashi's looked at Obito with shock in their eyes. Rin just laughed.

_This,_ thought Kakashi, _this is what I've yearned for all these years. I can finally lay that burden to rest. _After a minute, Kakashi spoke up. "You know, Obito, it's actually quite ironic."

"Huh?" Obito asked.

"When you suggested the transplant, you said, 'I'll become your eye to see the future.' In a really weird way your eyes have seen both the future and a different past."

_

* * *

_A/N: Another chapter finished, and my longest one yet.

So, same procedure. Any comments about this chapter? Like where this story is going?

I guess I should mention that I don't have any written outline for this story. Aside from a few general ideas and goals, I'm basically deciding what to write on a chapter-by-chapter basis. So any ideas and suggestions you have, I'll definitely listen to.

**As I said before, reviews are GREATLY appreciated. There are about 35 of you who currently have this story on alert. It already means a lot to me to see so many of you all care, but it would mean a whole lot more to see what you guys _think_ about my story. I can't emphasize this enough. Please, take half a minute out of your day to let me know what you think about my chapter/story. I'm spending a couple hours on each chapter at a minimum, so I hope I'm not asking for too much in return.**

Until next time!**  
**


	6. Change Is The Only Constant

A/N: I'm sorry that this chapter is short by comparison, but I'm preparing for a timeskip and this is a good place to leave off. I apologize in advance if I'm being inconsistent in my usage of Japanese (be it honorifics or specific words). I'm focusing on plot and the extremely tricky timeline, so small details like that will slip my attention.

I've had to introduce some minor OC's in this chapter, and I will have to introduce some in the future (some of whom will be much more important). This is either out of necessity (Obito's family, for instance) or out of logic (a Naruto who is born with a family and different genetics will obviously be different). I'll try and make them unique and likable without making them Mary/Marty Sues. If you feel that they are, please let me know.

As for the reviews, I want to thank each and every one of you who reviewed last chapter. I wasn't expecting such a positive response, and it's heartwarming to see you guys care.

And so I'm going to list the usernames of every person who reviews the last chapter in the A/N of the next one. Here they are:

TsubasaWitch, THE-complete-zelda-fan, Sora Nadeshiko, aims123, luckycomet09, the DragonBard, Thealie, The-Real-James-Potter, kyuubi233, Kiiroi Senko, deanine, Frostius, wind dancer1981, Jamie-LuvsFanfiction

I really appreciate each and every review I've gotten so far. Also note that this story is not hard-outlined; if there's a scene or character interaction you want to see, suggest it and it might happen!

I've been asked if I'm going to factor in recent manga revelations into my story; my answer is that until I see next chapter, I can't be sure. I might put some of them in, I might put none of them in, or I might put all of them in. Thankfully, I won't be getting to a point at which they'll be relevant for a little while.

Without further ado, Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 6: Change Is The Only Constant**

Jiraiya the Gallant, as he liked to call himself, raced towards Amegakure as fast as his legs would carry him. He had long since received news that those three kids were dead, but to find out they were alive…

It was not an opportunity he was going to let slip.

00.000.00

"Wake up, baka!" Sasuke was awoken by rather unconventional means. Means that he was not at all used to. Given his roommate, however, he quickly deduced exactly what means had been used to awaken him.

A punch to the head. Which, given him roommate, meant that he was flung straight out of his bed and across the room, where he was brought to a sudden and complete stop by an innocent looking wall.

Sasuke would never look at that wall the same way ever again. "What…the hell, Sakura?"

"I said, WAKE UP. We're going for a walk."

He almost felt like quoting Shikamaru at that point. But he _also_ knew what happened to Shikamaru when he said his catchphrase to someone who had their fist on a trigger finger.

He quickly prepared for a walk.

00.000.00

Naruto knew better than to visit his parents given the hints he himself had dropped the day before. Deciding to visit someone he had not spent much time with in the past week, he headed for Hinata's suite.

"Come in," she called.

He opened the door to find her staring out the window, towards the direction of the Hyuuga compound. Realizing what she was probably thinking about, he closed the door and sat next to her. "Crazy, isn't it?" he asked.

She didn't turn to look at him. "I don't know what to think." She paused, sighed, and faced him. "My mother is still alive. I know exactly how she died, and I can prevent it. But…"

"Nothing's the same anymore."

"…yeah. I'm not even allowed to see her until she's pregnant with Hanabi. But honestly, we may have already done enough to change all of that. Perhaps just by what we've already done, some of us will never be born, but with different children in our place?"

Naruto looked down. "Maybe. I know for sure that I've already changed things a lot with my parents. All things considered though, that may not be a bad thing."

Hinata looked at her boyfriend in shock. "How can you say such a thing?"

"My family was destroyed on the day I was born. I'm not saying it was my fault, but I _am_ saying that perhaps it's for the better that things happen differently. After all, if we're really trying to change things for the better, can we really afford to worry about every other change we accidentally make?"

Neither said anything for a minute while Hinata considered his words. "What do we do, then?"

"I guess we just try and change only the things we need to change, like the Kyuubi attack and the Uchiha Massacre. I guess we'll just have to make changes secretly, until we can be sure that Hanabi's generation is born. But honestly, I don't think we can pick and choose like that."

"Are you saying I should just change things so that my sister is never born?"

He sighed. "No, but we never know. If your sister is born, maybe she'll be different. Just by knowing you down the line, she already will be. Nothing will be the same. Even if the same people exist, they'll _become_ different people because things will be different. Just imagine Sasuke-teme. Without the Uchiha Massacre, he'll be a very different person."

"…still, I'd rather they grow up differently than never exist at all."

"I know. And so would I. But we can't just live in here, holed up for years and hope that we haven't changed certain things. Maybe it's time to let the past—or the future, or whatever—go." He held her in his arms for a long while as she considered his words.

00.000.00

"So maybe you can tell us, Kakashi-jisan. How exactly do we use these eyes?"

"_Jisan?_ I am _not_ that old!" Kakashi then considered his words for a moment, and in the face of several knowing stares, deflated in defeat. "Okay, _fine._" After sighing, he continued. "The Sharingan has three main abilities. One, it can see chakra flow and even attribute it a color, two, it allows you to perceive more detail at a much faster pace, and three, it allows you to copy jutsu as a result of the first two abilities. Follow me so far?"

They nodded. "I'm sure you've already noticed the first two, but I'm going to be teaching you how to use the third. It's one of the things I was known for, in my time."

"What exactly _were_ you known for in your time?" asked Kakashi-kun, as he had been called.

"I had the monikers 'Kakashi of the Sharingan' and 'Copy Ninja Kakashi.' I've copied over 1000 jutsu."

All three of them paled at that. "One _thousand_ jutsu?" asked Kakashi-kun. "You can really do that?"

"Yes, though it took me many years to accumulate such an arsenal. Thankfully, I can speed the process up for you two, but copying jutsu doesn't work like magic. The Sharingan gives you the _how_, not the _what_. In order to perform a jutsu you see, you still need the prerequisite abilities. For example, in order to copy and perform Chidori Nagashi, you need to be very proficient with both shape and nature manipulation in regards to lightning."

"Chidori _Nagashi_?" asked Kakashi-kun.

"Hm? Oh, right. It's a jutsu derived from our Chidori. Invented by a student of mine. It basically involves channeling the Chidori as a current throughout your body or an object. Though I don't recommend trying it until you build up larger chakra reserves."

"So what _can_ you teach us right now, then?" asked Obito.

Kakashi-jisan took out two bells from his pocket. "How to act like a team."

00.000.00

Sasuke walked alongside his pink haired teammate through the main streets of Konoha. As scary as it was seeing her when she was borderline psychotic, seeing her acting pleasant and nice a few minutes later made him fear for his life. A certain bipolar Juugo came to mind.

"Look, they're selling plums over in that stand. Want some?" she asked.

Sasuke almost grunted instinctively, before remembering the warning he had received recently. He certainly did not want to die anytime soon. "Umm…sure."

They walked over to the stand, while Sakura was talking about the various fruits at the stand. Sasuke just told her to pick what she wanted and he'd eat it. Such normal interaction was lost on him; he hadn't acted carefree or casually since his family was massacred.

"Want a banana, Ita-chan?" a voice cooed from behind them. Sasuke froze, and Sakura picked up on the hints instantly. She made no attempt to leave, however.

The woman Sasuke instantly recognized as his mother walked up the same stand and picked out a banana. He stole a glance at the two, trying not to be noticed. Seeing his family like this was beyond surreal. Emotions and memories that he had long since been brutally smothered underneath pain and darkness were finally reemerging. A four year old Itachi grabbed onto Sasuke's pants with a look of mischief and laughed. "Mom! Look! Funny hair!"

The teen couldn't say anything in return. He simply stared down at this contradiction. Here was the same man who had massacred everything that he held dear in a single night, who had driven him on a path of revenge, and who had turned out to be his loving older brother all along, somehow. And yet this little boy in front of him merely pointed out his 'funny' hair.

Mikoto quickly pulled him away. "Itachi-chan! It's not nice to make fun of other people." She looked up at Sasuke and apologized. "I'm very sorry, he's still little."

"It…it's fine," he managed to say.

Having already paid for the banana, she said goodbye, took Itachi's hand, and started walking down the street. Sasuke merely stared at them until they were out of sight.

"It's rude to stare, you know," said Sakura. He turned to his teammate. "I think we've had enough excitement for one walk, don't you think?" He gave a small nod in response.

As they turned to head back, Sakura saw a slight smile form on Sasuke's lips.

00.000.00

Naruto and Hinata sat atop the Hokage Mountain, staring out into the sunset. Neither had said much in quite a while.

Hinata eventually broke the silence. "I've been thinking about what you said, Naruto-kun."

He turned to look at her as she continued. "I…I think you're right. Nothing is going to be the same anymore, and it would be stupid to try to not change everything. The Kyuubi attack, if we can do anything to stop it, is something that happened before Hanabi was born. There's simply no way to prevent the worst things from happening while not changing everything else. All we can do is be there for our families when the time comes. Maybe we can change those things for the better, even if we can't keep everything we wanted."

She met his eyes, and they kissed.

Loud laughter interrupted their moment, as they turned to face an oblivious Minato and Kushina heading their way. Minato was ticking his love, causing Naruto to smile.

"Mina—haha—Minato! St-stop!" she yelled playfully. Finally, she tackled him into the ground, pinning him down before kissing him. Deciding to get a little revenge, Naruto whistled, causing the couple to break their kiss, startled.

"Na-Naruto! What are you doing here?" asked Minato.

"The same thing as us, apparently," Kushina added with a laugh.

"We can move, if you'd like," said Hinata.

"No, no. It's fine, you were here first. We'll just have to find another spot. Oh, but before we do, we've got some news to share!" Minato said cheerfully.

Naruto and Hinata looked at the couple in anticipation. "We're engaged!" they said in unison. Everyone present smiled wide.

"Wow, you weren't kidding, Kushina," said Naruto. "You really _did_ want to marry him."

Minato looked at his fiancé in confusion. She laughed nervously before saying, "Ehehe…like, I kind of let it slip a few days ago. Ehe…umm, sorry?"

The blond laughed in response. "That is so like you, Kushina-chan." He paused, whispering into her ear. "And one of the many things I love about you."

The couple became very absorbed into each other after that, so Naruto silently motioned to Hinata for them to relocate. "I think that's exactly _why_ I think trying not to change anything is a bad idea," he said. "We can do so much for these people. That, and well…we can't save everyone."

00.000.00

Obito arrived home late in the evening. He was battered, bruised, and utterly humiliated, but he loved every second of it. Finally, they were acting like a true team.

No, more than just a team. Good friends. "Dad, Mom, Yumi-nee-san, I'm home!"

He hadn't been home since the mission; after recovering in the hospital (his family did visit, though), and training for the day with his team, he hadn't had a chance to return. Because mission details often became classified, he hadn't shared the news of him awakening his Sharingan quite yet. At least, that was what he was telling himself. His older sister had activated her Sharingan when she was 10, and became the focus of his family ever since. His lack of ability to awaken his Sharingan didn't help his problems. At the same time, he knew that his parents _did_ care about him. Such was the nature of the Uchiha clan, he guessed, that they care so much about talent and skill even when it comes to family.

His mother was the first to greet him. "Obito, it's great to see you out of the hospital. But what happened? It looks like you've been rolling around in the dirt!"

_Yeah, I have. Not of my own will, though._ "Training, hehe. Um, are Dad and Nee-san here? I have news for everybody."

"They are, Yumi just got back from a mission. Your father is still recovering from that arm injury, but he should be eager to see you. Daiki! Yumi!"

They all gathered into the family room, waiting for Obito to give the news. "Well, I guess I might as well just show you." He activated his Sharingan, revealing two black tomoe within blood-red eyes.

His parents beamed at the news, and his sister just added, "Well, it's about damn time, baby brother."

"Oi! I'm not little anymore!" he protested.

His family laughed at that retort. "When?" asked his mother, Ami.

"During my last mission. I…I nearly didn't make it back. I had a big help at just the right time."

His family grew noticeably uneasy at hearing how close their loved one had come to dying. "I'm glad you're okay, baby brother." Obito made no retort this time.

* * *

A/N: Like I said, I'm going to be playing with the timeline a bit. I'm _also_ going to be taking a little liberty when it comes to what affects who. For instance, I DO want some characters to be genetically identical to their future counterparts, despite the unlikeliness of that. And in case you guys haven't guessed, the "past" Naruto will be born much earlier, for reasons I've made pretty clear.

**I can only hope that you guys will continue to review like you did for last chapter. Once again, even taking 10 seconds to write "nice story" or "keep it up" is great to hear and good motivation. The reviews are my motivation, so the more/better they are, the faster and better subsequent chapters will be. **

Until next time!**  
**


	7. Prelude to Peace

A/N: Update date - 6/28/10. This chapter is much longer to make up for the short one last time. A lot of time passes in this chapter, at least by comparison. For those of you wondering about Sai, two things: One, I have not forgotten about him. He just isn't integral into the story, at least not yet. Two: He's helping out in the war effort, as an ANBU operative. I haven't mentioned that in the story, but I'll try to at some point.

On the review front: I'm really pleased with the responses so far! I never expected anything like this when I started this fic, and I'm thankful towards each and every one of you.

As promised, here are the people who reviewed last chapter:

BloodKitsune11, TsubasaWitch, Shinigami, Midnight Phase, Thealie, wind dancer1981, empire14, The-Real-James-Potter, Kiiroi Senko, THE-complete-zelda-fan, ShamaLamaDingDong, watchingtherain1, yarra, deanine.

Thank you all! I really appreciate it.

For those of you who wrote detailed reviews, I can respond personally.

Midnight Phase: I can't say for certain, since this story doesn't really follow a strict outline. I have ideas and interactions I want to do, and I make them happen within the confines of the plot. Sakura and Sasuke are not going to be shipped any time soon (if at all, perhaps). Sasuke is healing by connecting with his family again, while Hinata is doing the same. As for Naruto...well, he already has a well established cover story, and he's not stupid. That said, we'll see. Kakashi's MS will be revealed to the Uchiha clan in due time, but again, a lot of that stuff is far off. And what saying, exactly?

Shinigami: Danzo has been removed from power. But as for arresting him outright, how can he be arrested for crimes he hasn't technically committed yet? Besides, if Sarutobi hated the idea of killing OROCHIMARU of all people, then I seriously doubt he'd go out of his way to punish an old friend of his.

**Once again, PLEASE review! If you've got this story on alert, is it so much to ask that you spend 10 seconds to leave a one sentence review? It means a lot to me; it's my motivation. **

* * *

**Chapter 7: Prelude to Peace**

"You can't be serious!"

"Yes, I can."

Naruto and Hinata had brought their decision to light for the rest of their group, along with the Sandaime. So far, they were having trouble convincing them.

"You understand that the more you interfere with events, the less likely it is that any of you or your generation will be born!" yelled the Sandaime.

"We know," said Hinata, "but if we don't help out and change things, then many more people will cease to exist. Just as some people won't be born, others _will_ be born because of our changes. Besides, it's very likely that they'll be born, but they won't be genetically identical. Just by being here, we've already changed things."

He paused, mulling her words over. "I still don't want you to interact with your families until the previous conditions I mentioned have been met. Once they have, you can tell them, assuming you follow procedure and make sure the secret does not get out."

"Well," interjected Naruto, "it may get out completely eventually. After all, how can we join our families when they can't acknowledge us like that? But…I think that maybe it can work to our advantage."

"How?" he asked.

"Well, if everyone knows and believes we're from the future, then we'll be able to change things outside of Konoha. Things like Akatsuki capturing and killing jinchuuriki, or Gaara's case. Maybe…maybe we can make peace with other villages."

Hiruzen, being an optimist at heart, considered the possibilities. "Perhaps. Regardless, it will have be handled very delicately. And in due time, as well. But not before then."

"One other thing." Everyone turned to look at Naruto. "Just telling our families about us might be a bad idea. I've gotten a chance to bond with my parents without them knowing who I really am. When the time comes, I think it will be much easier for them to accept me because of that."

"That would mean establishing cover stories for all of you. And that would also mean changing things for certain. Are you prepared for consequences like that?"

Sakura spoke up this time. "Maybe we've been looking at this the wrong way. I don't think our families want to have two of the same child, at least in the way we're thinking. Perhaps it's best to really become close to our families and not worry about events that are already out of our control."

Naruto could practically see everyone changing their minds.

"I've already told my past self and my old team the secret, and it's worked out very well so far," said Kakashi.

Hiruzen looked out the windows overlooking the village. _We've really taken a turn for the surreal, haven't we?_ "Well, I guess that settles it. Though if at all possible, don't interfere with any other families besides your own, at least for the time being. Let's take this one step at a time."

Agreement spread throughout the room, but Naruto noticed his love staring at the ground, acting strangely. "What's wrong, Hinata-chan?"

She didn't move her eyes from the floor. "I…I don't think there's a way for my family and I to interact without them knowing the truth. I wouldn't be able to get close to them through the clan, and my family isn't exactly active in village matters that I could participate in."

The Hokage sighed. "I'm getting too old for this. I'm leaving the choice up to you all, individually. If you need help establishing a cover story, I will do what I can, but I'm no miracle worker. In the mean time, I've got a war effort to run. Which, I'm afraid, brings us to other matters."

Naruto didn't hesitate to volunteer. "I'll do what I can. I'll handle the open battles, and force as many surrenders as possible. I don't want to kill a single person if I don't have to. All I ask is that you set up whatever you need to so I can hand my prisoners off quickly."

"You _really_ think you can fight a war without killing anyone? That's absurd," said Hiruzen.

"I'll _make_ it happen. I've studied sealing jutsu for a year, and I know enough to design incapacitating seals. You've already seen it in action; I'll plow through until the enemy surrenders."

"Well, we're fighting a war on two fronts here, and there's only one of you, Naruto. As for the rest of you…"

"We can end this war right now." Once again, all eyes were on Naruto. "It's simple. War is very bad for ninja villages in just about every way. They lose skilled ninja, they can't take on missions and earn money, they have to spend more money for a war effort, and they run the risk of being wiped out entirely. All we have to do is make the case in a way where they'll listen."

"And how do you propose to do that?" aksed the Hokage.

"Send a couple diplomats with me, and I'll get their attention. I suggest we start with Suna, since Iwa just had their butts kicked and won't be making a move anytime soon."

00.000.00

Watching the sunset from atop the Hokage Mountain, Minato and Kushina lay in each other's arms as they thought about the future. "Kushina-chan?"

"Yes, Mina-kun?"

"I've been thinking—"

"I would certainly hope so, Mina-kun," interrupted Kushina. They both chuckled at that, but Minato knew he had to press the point.

"We should get married sooner, rather than later."

She turned to look in his eyes, considering the idea. "Yeah…how soon, though?"

_Now for the hard part,_ thought Minato. "As soon as possible. I just don't see any reason for putting it off."

She seemed taken aback momentarily before regaining her composure. "I guess you're right. I've always wanted a small wedding."

Minato looked at his lover with a raised eyebrow. "You just don't want my fangirls to come."

Kushina feigned anger and playfully punched him in the shoulder. "_You're_ the one who suggested the whole thing. _You_ just don't want _my_ fanboys to come."

"Well, looks like I can't play the whole jealousy card." He sighed, fake disappointment written all over his features. "And here I was hoping for a reaction."

She smirked, and pulled him close. "How's _this_ for a reaction?" she whispered into his ear. Kushina knew that the one time Minato _wasn't_ thinking was during their more intimate moments, and brought him into a passionate kiss.

00.000.00

"Who are we going to meet, Jisan?" asked Rin. The two were walking towards the residence areas near the Hokage Tower.

"A student of mine. She's one of the best medic-nin's you'll ever find. Trained by Tsunade-sama herself."

Rin recognized the name immediately. "_Tsunade of the Sannin?_ How? I thought she left the village a long time ago. How'd she get to be her apprentice?"

Kakashi-jisan laughed. "Well, that's a story in and of itself. But in about 13 years' time, if the timeline were the same, one of my _other_ students, Naruto, would have convinced her to return and claim the position of Godaime Hokage."

"Godaime?" she asked. "What about the Yondaime?"

Kakashi-jisan stopped in his tracks and stared at the ground. Rin's curiosity spiked immediately, and she recognized the pained expression on his face. "The Yondaime died very young. He sacrificed himself to save the village, making the Sandaime come out of retirement. He was killed, too, causing Naruto to go with Jiraiya-sama to search for Tsunade-sama."

_Sandaime-sama was killed too?_ she thought. "Wait, who was the Yondaime?"

The jounin's voice was barely above a whisper. "Minato-sensei."

Rin gasped; this revelation sent her mind reeling. Kakashi finally awoke from his reverie and soothed his teammate's fears. "You don't need to worry. We're not going to let that happen this time."

She nodded and regained her composure. They continued on in silence for a while, but Rin had a question nagging at her. "You said, 'we,' before. 'We're not going to let that happen.' Who were you talking about, exactly?"

"You'll find out in due time. Let's just say we've got a group of misfits who are perfect for the job."

They reached the suite, and Kakashi knocked on the door. It was opened by a calm, odd looking teen with black hair that seemed as whacky as Kakashi's. "Sensei?" he asked.

"Hello, Sasuke. Is Sakura in?" Rin was taking in every detail; this was all new to her.

"Yes. Sakura?" he called out. A girl with pink hair walked to the door.

"Sensei?" she asked. "And who is this?"

"This is Rin, Sakura."

Sakura stared at her in shock. "_Rin? _As in your dead _teammate_ Rin?"

The medic-nin in question jumped at that comment. _Dead? I died?_ She was starting to panic before Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder.

"There's no need to worry, Rin. It's like I said, we're not going to let any of that happen this time. Why don't we discuss this inside?"

After walking to a table inside, everyone sat down. Rin started with her worries. "Jisan…I died?"

He nodded. "H-how?" she asked, noticeably terrified.

"It was the same night that sensei died as well. I lost a lot of people that night. Too many. Everyone did. I don't know nor remember many details. There was so much chaos, no one knew what really happened."

She was silent for several moments. "What happened that night? If so many people died and the village was threatened, it had to be something really big, right?"

Kakashi looked up at the ceiling, considering how to proceed. "Well, there's no point in not telling you. The night of October 10th was the night the village came under attack by the Kyuubi no Youko…"

00.000.00

Strolling along the main streets of Konoha, Hinata heard her boyfriend calling out to her. She'd been in such a daze, thinking about the awkwardness of her situation.

"Hinata-chan!" He panted for a few moments, obviously a little winded from trying to catch up.

She turned to face him with a small smile. "What is it, Naruto-kun?"

He stood upright, scratching the side of his head. She'd begun to pick up on his nervous ticks as well, and drew great pleasure from pointing them out in…intimate ways. "I think I know of a way for you to get close to your family without them knowing everything," he said.

Now she was very intrigued. She'd been thinking of such a solution ever since the dilemma presented itself, but was at a dead end. "You said that there's no way to get involved with them through the clan, since they wouldn't recognize you, and the Hokage couldn't set you up because your family doesn't do a lot outside of the clan. So…why not just have the Hokage tell your family the truth, but leave out the part about you being their daughter?"

There it was, the painfully obvious solution that occurred to no one except Naruto. Whereas she was looking at every clever or subtle solution that might allow her to get close to her family without arousing suspicion, the formerly knucklehead ninja just went and did things the obvious way. Ironically, his method would not only completely work, but leave out the high chance of failure that complex plans always had. It was, in short, stupidly genius; Naruto to a T.

She was so floored by this that she seemed to be in a daze, so Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hinata-chan?"

The Hyuuga heiress nearly jumped, but quickly regained her composure. "Y-yes, that's a great idea, Naruto-kun. Thank you." She gave him a quick kiss before heading back to the Hokage Tower.

Smiling as he watched her go, another stroke of genius hit him. _Wait, Sasuke-teme is in a clan too!_ With a snicker, he went to go rub in his genius plans to his oldest friend.

00.000.00

The wedding invitations went out the next day with the instructions to keep the event a secret. With only a few days advance warning, the small wedding was prepared. It wasn't much, the couple decided, but they wouldn't want it any other way. Naruto and Team Minato were invited, as well as other close friends. The elder Kakashi was invited as well, as Minato had learned who had rescued his team during their mission. The Yellow Flash regretted that his sensei couldn't be there, but Naruto had told him that Jiraiya would be out of the village for quite some time. There wasn't much pomp and circumstance, but the love was evident to those who were able to attend. Not wanting to make a target out of his family, Minato decided to keep knowledge of the marriage limited to those who attended the wedding until the war was over.

At one point, Naruto considered telling his parents the truth, but decided to give the couple a true honeymoon without such serious matters on their conscious. Well, as good as a honeymoon could get during the middle of a war. Naruto left for his mission after a few farewells as everyone else continued training. Sakura worked with Rin on her medical ninjutsu, and she discovered enormous potential in that regard. Kakashi-jisan continued training his younger self and Obito on the Sharingan, even giving them a few simple jutsu to copy.

Up in his office, Sarutobi Hiruzen reflected back on the events of the past two weeks. He had seen many things in his life, but nothing compared to this. _Naruto better talk to you soon, Minato. I'm more than ready to retire._

00.000.00

The Land of Rain had its name very well deserved, Jiraiya decided. It poured, and poured, and continued pouring day in and day out. There really wasn't any other way to put it, this village was _hidden_ in the rain. Making his way through one of the many war-torn areas of the village, Jiraiya traveled in the shadow of an unknowing shinobi. He was looking for a contact, someone who could lead him to this peaceful resistance movement. Though there were many people talking about the movement, no one seemed to know anything of true relevance.

After the fourth day, he finally hit a stroke of luck. He saw a small gathering of people talking about plans for world peace. Whereas before, people merely talked about it as if it were some lofty dream, these people talked about it in a business-like fashion. They also wore the same uniform. Knowing that such a conversation was grossly out of place otherwise, he approached the group without a disguise. They were suspicious, at first, but he quickly said that he was an old friend of Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato. The group apparently recognized the names, and led him to a contact, which eventually led him to seeing his students after many, many years.

Yahiko was elated. Hanzo himself had agreed to a meeting to join forces and spread their peace movement. All three of the orphans agreed that this was the break they had all been yearning for for years, and were almost giddy with anticipation for the meeting that was to be held the next day.

A knock resounded from the door. "Come in," they said, smiles adorned on each of their faces. Nothing could dampen their spirits, and their happiness showed.

"Yahiko-san, there's a man here wishing to see you three. He said that he's an old friend of yours," said the messenger.

_Old friend?_ thought Yahiko. _Nothing comes to mind…_ "It's alright, Takara-san. Let him in."

Takara nodded, and exited the room before showing the hooded traveler in. He raised his hood, a wide smile stretched across his face. "It's been a long time, Yahiko, Konan, Nagato. Too long."

"Sensei?" they yelled, overjoyed to see the man, and ran to embrace him. (A/N: I know that hugs outside of couples/families are uncommon in Japanese culture, and I don't care. I'm keeping it as is for this fic.)

"What happened? We thought we would never see you again!" said Konan.

"I'm sorry. During the last war, I received news that you three had been killed. I never knew the truth until about a week ago. Why don't we bring in some tea and catch up? It seems we have quite a lot to talk about."

Deciding that this was the best day that he could remember in a long time, Nagato quickly retrieved a tea pot before the four of them caught up after years of separation.

00.000.00

Initially mistaken for the Yellow Flash, Naruto had little trouble convincing a group of Suna shinobi to gain an audience with officials for peace talks. The trip had been quick, as the diplomats Naruto had been sent with had received ninja training. He supposed that in a time of war, everyone had to be capable of holding their own in battle. Dressed in his classic black and orange jumpsuit with his red and black sage cloak, he looked highly unusual for a shinobi. This worked to his advantage, Naruto deduced, because he wanted to come off as up front and honest. The biggest reason why Naruto was so good at convincing and changing others was that he was the opposite of what was expected; he was loud, boisterous, highly visible, playful, and nice. In a world where people looked underneath the underneath in everything, Naruto was someone you trusted to not have ulterior motives. Everything about him came off as genuine.

Which is exactly why he quickly gained an audience with the Kazekage. He wasn't trained in the intricacies of kowtowing, and showed respect in a rather bass-ackwards way. He simply acted as himself, and the Kazekage was baffled at this. Diplomats always chose their words carefully, delivering meanings through subtlety and word games. Both of which, the Kazekage quickly found out, were completely lost on Naruto.

"I brought a couple diplomats with me because I don't know much about politics or stuff like that. Really, I just wanted to talk with you. So, I guess I can start with this. War really doesn't help you guys out. You lose ninja left and right, which puts years of training and effort to waste. Your ninja are tied up by the war, and so you can't go on any missions, meaning you can't make any money. You run the risk of defeat, so you might get screwed in the end anyway. And even if you win, then what? You don't have the resources to make use of what you gain, and you'll be weak, so villages like Kumo can come and take you out. It really makes no sense, and both sides want peace. Why not just do it, then?"

The Kazekage's mouth hung open. _What the HELL? _

"Sorry, speeches aren't my thing. Look, I could personally level Sunagakure to the ground in a single day, but I wouldn't want to do that in a thousand years. I _really_ want peace, and I hate it when people die, even my enemies. I _really_ don't want to ruin your day, so please help me out here."

After nearly a minute of silence and blinking, during which Naruto fidgeted uncomfortably, the Kazekage finally spoke up. "You mean to tell me that your village wishes for peace, and that you personally could lead your village to victory in a single day?"

Naruto placed his finger on his chin as he struck a thinking pose. A few moments later, he spoke up with a smile. "Yep, pretty much."

To say the Kazekage was floored would be an understatement. He had never imagined anything like this when he agreed to this meeting. He seriously doubted the kid's claims, but he there was something about him…. Still, now that he thought about it, what _was_ wrong with what the blond teen said? His arguments made sense, and there is simply no way this kid was trying to get some sort of leverage out of this deal. He was too stupid for it. "And if I agree to this peace, what do you want in return?"

Naruto looked at him like he had just said something really stupid. "Eh? What are you talking about? We'd get peace in return, dummy. Is there something I'm missing here?"

_Well_, he thought, _this is certainly…interesting. _"So let's say I was to agree with you. What are you authorized to do?"

Naruto pointed a thumb to the man and woman behind him. "That's what the diplomat guys are for. Ojisan said that we can draft the resolution right here, if that is alright with you."

The Kazekage scratched his chin. Such a heel-face-turn in policy would look odd at first, but ultimately his people would be happy. He could negotiate terms that would leave no dishonor to Suna, and his village would rejoice at the peace. There was, however, one other problem that needed to be addressed first. "What about Iwa? You are at war with them, too."

The blond actually _smiled_ at that, confusing the man even more. "We came here first," he said, "because we just kicked Iwa's butt and knew they wouldn't be able to try anything for a while. We want to have peace with them, too, but I can't be at two places at once." The teen paused, and revised his statement. "Well, I _can_, but not as far as Suna and Iwa. Maintaining shadow clones over that kind of distance is hard."

_I can't even tell if he's joking or not,_ thought the Kazekage. _But it does make sense. Either way, we'd be given a reprieve while Iwa and Konoha fight it out. Not a bad proposition…_ "Then I believe we can draft an agreement. We should get started immediately." He nodded to his ANBU guards, who went to retrieve the required personnel and materials. He couldn't help but notice the blond boy grinning like an idiot at that.

00.000.00

"…and Hanzo approached us, asking if we wanted to discuss joining forces and spreading our message internationally!" Yakiho recalled cheerfully.

Jiraiya paused, his face suddenly growing serious, in direct contrast with the huge grins on his students. "When?" he aksed.

"Tomorrow. He gave us a location and time to meet us, and we'll take it from there," said Konan.

Sighing, the Toad Sage delivered his warning. "Listen to me, all of you. That meeting is a trap. Without a doubt."

All three of his students started to protest. "But sensei! This is what we've been waiting for! Why would they want to fight us? We're a _peace_ movement!" yelled Yahiko.

"Okay, look. I've fought Hanzo before, and I know a bit about him. He's a cold-blooded man who rules through an iron fist. He likely sees you as a threat to his power, and won't lose a moment of sleep over betraying each and every one of you."

That gave them pause. After finally getting their first big break, they didn't want to believe that it was all a setup. Jiraiya felt that it would be good to let them in on his source at this point. "What I'm about to tell you sounds beyond crazy, and I had a hard time believing it myself, but I can't think of any other way to explain it." They looked up at him with curious expressions. "The reason I'm here, the reason I even knew that you were even alive in the first place, is that I had a warning delivered from a shinobi who somehow travelled into the past."

Though Yahiko and Konan looked more than skeptical, Nagato was quick to believe that claim. As the bearer of the Rinnegan, he had powers that baffled many ninja. Perhaps the ability to travel to the past was not so ludicrous. "What exactly do you mean, sensei?" he asked.

Jiraiya took a sip of team before continuing. "The Sandaime Hokage introduced to me a group of Konoha ninja who claimed to have accidentally traveled into the past. One in particular was something highly unusual. He was the son of one of my students, and knew several techniques that only such a person would know. In order to prove his claim, he told me that you three were still alive. He warned me, however, that you would fall into a trap around this time. He described it as a meeting, exactly the kind of meeting you just told me about, where Hanzo and a rogue shinobi from Konoha would ambush you. He said that…he said that you would die in the ambush, Yahiko."

His students looked deathly pale as they turned to Yahiko in concern and disbelief. Yahiko himself just stared at his sensei. "I…I'm going to die?"

Jiraiya's expression seemed to ease a little. "Only if you go to that meeting. And not if I can do anything about it. But…perhaps we can use this to our advantage."

"What do you mean, sensei?" asked Konan.

"You're not going to like it, but I suggest we ambush their ambush. The Sandaime Hokage had already dealt with the rogue Konoha shinobi, and you've got one big advantage."

"And what would that be, sensei?"

He smiled. "Me." They all laughed at that. "Oh, and before I forget, that future student of mine asked me to send you a message, Nagato."

"Hm?"

"He said, 'I'm sorry about Tiny.' No idea what that means, though."

Nagato's jaw dropped at that.

00.000.00

Uchiha Fugaku was a bit more than perplexed. It wasn't often that he was summoned to see the Hokage personally in his office, and unheard of for his wife to be added to the invitation. Upon entering the most important room in the village, as many people called it, he was greeted by a smiling Hokage and a reserved teenager who held a slight smile of his own.

"You summoned us, Hokage-sama?" asked Fugaku.

"Ah yes, come and have a seat. We have important matters to discuss."

As they took their seats, the Hokage seemed to be overly warm for whatever reason. "Tea?"

"Erm…no, thank you. We're fine."

The older man took a seat in front of his desk. "Very well then. With pleasantries out of the way, I'll have to take a moment and activate the necessary precautions…" he said as he activated the seals throughout the office. "This office is now sound-secure. With that done, I'm about to tell you an S-rank village secret. Do you both understand what that means?"

They nodded. Fugaku was starting to get nervous. Though he wanted to be in the loop as much as possible, the whole setup seemed very odd to him.

"Good. Well, there's no easy way of saying this. What I'm about to tell you is absolutely true and proven. This boy in front of you is one of a small group of Konoha ninja who have accidentally traveled into the past."

Both Mikoto's and Fugaku's eyes went wide as they processed his words, and then looked at Sasuke, who nodded back. Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe before continuing. "Now, the reason I have told you this is because this boy's name is Uchiha Sasuke. He is a skilled member of the Uchiha clan from the future, and I trust you can help him get reacquainted in this new setting. He's had a difficult past, I warn you, so please help him in that regard. That said, do not press for answers. Trust me, it would not be a good idea to pry into his history. In case you were wondering about asking him for secrets or hints of the future, don't. All of the important events that affect your clan that he knows of have been reported to me, and I have taken steps to ensure that they will be prevented."

Fugaku didn't miss the hint that the Hokage had dropped. _He worded that as if every important event that happened to the Uchiha Clan in the future are bad…_ "We'll do everything we can for him, Hokage-sama."

With a nod, Hiruzen decided to finish up the meeting. "Then good luck. Sasuke, I trust everything about this is suitable to you?"

Sasuke nodded with a small smile. He hadn't ever expected to see his family again, and this was something of a dream come true.

00.000.00

Hinata sat at the table with her family, eating dinner with well practiced manners. Having gone through a similar ordeal very recently, Hiashi and Hitomi had taken her in with pleasure. They knew that they couldn't pry into her history, but they still tried to get to know this distant descendent of theirs.

"Hinata-san, I'm curious…what exactly had changed between the Hyuuga clan of your time and one of the current time? I understand if you cannot tell us, of course…"

"No, it's fine, Hiashi-san. The Hyuuga clan had prospered for a time, but there were several problems that threatened the clan's very existence in my time." _It couldn't hurt to stretch the truth, could it?_

This news seemed to cause the clan head to freeze. "What kind of problems?"

Hinata smiled inwardly. _Sometimes your tendencies DO rub off on me, Naruto-kun. _"Well, to start, the Caged Bird Seal had driven many Branch members to depression and mental instability. A civil war seemed about to erupt, and rumors said that the Branch members had found a way to circumvent the seal. The Hokage was about to intervene and order the seals to be removed. I personally agree with that course of action, as the Uchiha clan had never had a problem with insubordination even though they lack a seal of any kind."

Hiashi grew even paler as he considered the implications of what he had been told. _A civil war? And the seal had been circumvented?_

She wasn't about to stop there, however. "There was also the problem of the Jyuuken itself. Many Hyuuga began falling in battle during the Fourth Great Shinobi War because our fighting style is all the same. In essence, if you have fought one skilled Hyuuga, you have fought them all. The Byakugan's possibilities are many, but we had limited ourselves to one type of taijutsu. It was a disaster waiting to happen."

She knew that she had him hanging on her every word now. "Another significant problem was the lack of personality that the Hyuuga became known for. We place such a heavy emphasis on emotional control and strictness that those who require nurturing and kindness suffer greatly. And if I may be so crude, it hurt many Hyuugas in their…marriage outlooks." _Well, if even one of those things changes, Naruto-kun, then you were absolutely right._

00.000.00

_Kids_, thought Hanzo,_ so damn naïve. _He saw the three leaders of the so called "peace" movement he had spoken to earlier approach the designated location. He was telling the truth when he said they'd have a meeting. He just omitted that it would involve immediate lethal force.

He signaled to his forces to begin the attack, when all of a sudden the ground around him seemed to melt. His decades of experience allowed him to quickly escape the attack, but few of his subordinates managed to do the same and were swallowed into the ground.

Before his remaining men could regroup with him, _paper_ shuriken flew right past his face. He dodged them with ease, and quickly saw the attacker. "Well, well, well. It seems you kids weren't so naïve after all. I've underestimated you."

Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko emerged from their hiding places, entering a stare down with their new enemy. "You were planning to betray us all along?" yelled Yahiko.

"You say that like it's surprising." Hanzo quickly summoned his famous Salamander, standing atop its head. "And now, if you don't mind, I'm going to finish what I've started."

"Actually, I DO mind!" yelled the voice of a newcomer. They all turned to see a large puff of smoke to see a white-haired man strike a pose. "These tears of blood, overflowing with rage! I went from Sannin to Sage! The Monstrous Toad of Mount Myoboku! I am Jiraiya-sam—AH!" The man fell flat on his face.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP, JIRAIYA! I've had enough of your stupid dramatic entrances!" yelled Gamabunta.

"OI! IS IT SO MUCH TO ASK FOR YOU TO STAY STILL FOR A FEW SECONDS!" The Toad Sage quickly regained his composure. "Anyway, we've got a dangerous opponent this time: Hanzo the Salamander."

"You!" yelled Hanzo. "I remember you. I gave you three the title of Sannin. Well, this sure is a pleasant surprise. But a bit stupid of you, I might add. I've already defeated you before when your whole team took me on. Now you're alone."

"Yahiko, Konan, Nagato—you handle the others! This fight is personal!" He turned to the toad boss. "You know, Gamabunta-san, Hanzo over there thinks he has the better summon. Care to prove him wrong?"

The giant toad drew his equally large sword. "With pleasure."

00.000.00

News of the peace treaty had reached Hiruzen a few moments ago. He was surprised, and yet not at the same time. This blond enigma was full of surprises. "Send messengers to all of our forces on the Suna front, and tell them to stand down immediately. We'll follow the treaty to the letter."

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" yelled the ANBU. Hiruzen's well trained ears could detect the happiness in their voices. At the very least, peace with Suna meant fighting a war on only one front now. There wouldn't be a single person in Konoha not overjoyed at the news.

00.000.00

"Itachi-chan, say hello to someone who's going to be staying with us for a while!" Mikoto cooed.

The boy immediately smiled and latched on to the teen's legs. "Funny hair guy!" Sasuke responded with something he hadn't done in many years—he gave a wide, genuine smile.

Mikoto was about to scold the boy, but Sasuke spoke up. "It's alright. It's…endearing." _Not a word I've actually ever used, I think._

She sighed, amused at her son's cute antics, but still slightly embarrassed by his actions. "Well, you can put your stuff in the room down the hall. When you're ready, you can join us for dinner." She smiled, and he returned the gesture. Sasuke stepped into what used to be his old room as a flood of memories overwhelmed him. This time, he noted, he didn't feel an overwhelming pain when recalling them.

* * *

A/N: My longest chapter yet.

I hope that I haven't gone overboard with regards to Naruto's peacemaking abilities, but it just seems natural given what we've seen of him. He comes off as completely genuine and friendly, and has a natural talent for changing people. Just look at Pain and Gaara, seriously.

Yes, Yahiko will not be dying. I love the guy too much.

I apologize for not going into more detail about Minato and Kushina's wedding, but I did that for a few reasons. I don't know anything about Japanese weddings, nor did I want to Americanize it. The wedding itself was not a big deal, plotwise.

**So, questions to my reviewers:**

1) Any constructive criticism you can offer? I'm constantly trying to improve.

2) Is anything moving into the realm of being relatively unbelievable?

3) Any character interactions/situations you'd like to see? Remember, this story is not hard-outlined. Suggest it, and you might see it.

Until next time!


	8. The Path Less Traveled

A/N: Update date - 6/29/10. This chapter comes in at about 3950 words, so it's not really short, but not very long. I decided that it was simply a great place to leave off.

Thank you for the reviews! Here are last chapter's reviewers:

wind dancer1981, luckycomet09, imouto12345, empire14, Kiiroi Senko, The-Real-James-Potter, W0nd3rM1k3, Hakumei-chan, BKwriter, .Alpha, shushinking, HolyKnight5, HatchetChu, TsubasaWitch. Thank you!

As for the reviews I can answer personally:

Holyknight: Without giving to much away, that was intended from the beginning :) As for the other stuff, well, you'll see. I've got rather unique plans for this one.

Luckycomet09: This story is in the genres of Family and Hurt/Comfort (and I suppose friendship). This is not meant to be an action story, and thus you won't find a progression of villains or huge threats looming over the horizon (at least not constantly). That said, expect something big in the future... As for Tsunade, I haven't forgotten about her. It will have to wait, though.

**Please review, it is my motivation and I love hearing from my readers.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: The Path Less Traveled**

Once the peace treaty was signed by the Kazekage, Naruto asked him for a word in private. They walked into his office, and the Kazekage began with standard pleasantries.

"Well, what is it you'd like to talk to me about?"

Naruto sighed; this wasn't going to be easy. "I know you probably didn't believe me earlier when I said I could level this village in a day. I don't mean to be threatening or anything like that, but I want to be clear. What I'm about to tell you is considered an S-rank secret in my village, but I don't see the harm in telling you. My name is Namikaze Naruto. You obviously know the surname, but what you don't know is that I'm not the Yellow Flash's brother or relative. I'm his son."

The older man was baffled by this. He'd read in his reports that the famed Yellow Flash was quite young, likely in his early 20's. How could he possibly have a teenage son?

"I know that's confusing, and you're right, it doesn't make sense. He's too young to have a teenage son. Well, as crazy as it sounds, the reason it's possible is because I'm not from this time; I'm from the future."

_Huh?_ "You expect me to believe that?"

"Not right away, no. But like everyone else, you'll quickly come to believe it. It sounds crazy, but it's completely true. Several of my friends and I accidentally traveled to the past after a combination of two unique jutsu. You can choose not to believe me, but I think it is your best interests to think about it."

The Kazekage scratched his chin. On one hand, time travel sounded like something out of a legend. But on the other, this teen's appearance was uncannily similar to the Yellow Flash, and perhaps in the future, time travel was not so novel of an idea. "I'm listening."

"You don't know what happened to your Sandaime Kazekage, right? Well, turns out he was killed by Sasori, and turned into a human puppet. If you ever see Sasori, keep in mind that all of his weapons are poisoned and the guy can use one hundred puppets at once." Naruto paused, letting the information sink in. "Regardless of whether or not you believe me, there _is_ something you should believe. I believe that at this time, you have two children, Temari and Kankuro?"

The only response was a pair of wide eyes and an open mouth. _How could he possibly have such information?_

"I know about them because I've met them, in the future. Kankuro becomes a skilled puppeteer while Temari uses wind based jutsu from an iron fan. But what I really need to talk to you about, and the whole point of me telling you all of this, is that in my time, you had a third child. A boy named Gaara. What's special about him is that you decided to implant the Ichibi into him as a baby, killing his mother—your wife—in the process. I know enough about seals to know that _his_ seal was terrible, and as a result he had to deal with the Shukaku's personality every minute of his life. He suffered from constant insomnia. And while I mean no offense to you, you began to fear him and sent assassins after him, whom all failed. Because this village shunned him and you constantly tried to kill him, he became insane. I was able to help him, eventually, but his life was never the same. Through hard work, he became Godaime Kazekage at age 16. What I'm asking you to do is simply to accept help in the sealing process and to treat him well. There are a few sealing masters in my village who would be glad to help, myself included."

These constant revelations began to take their toll on the Kazekage, yet he was paying attention to every word. "How do I know I can trust you?"

Naruto lifted up his shirt, and a glowing, intricate seal appeared. "Because I'm a jinchuuriki too, and I care about my kind." He put his shirt back down. "In my time, Gaara was one of my closest friends. We had a bond that was as unique as it was strong. I want to help him however I can."

A few moments later, the Kazekage was finished considering the offer. "Well, at the very least, you can trust me to call for help in the sealing process when the time comes. I am not quite certain about your 'future' status, but I am certainly considering the possibility."

They turned to leave the office, but Naruto stopped. "Oh, I almost forgot." The Kazekage looked back at the blond. "In my time, Suna and Konoha were very close allies. I hope we can achieve the same this time, Kazekage-sama." Naruto offered his hand, and after a brief moment, the Kazekage shook it.

"To a better future."

00.000.00

_This is just…unbelievable,_ thought Sasuke. Walking throughout the Uchiha District, he was warmly greeted by faces he last remembered lying in pools of blood. The true irony, he supposed, was that he was carrying the boy who would have grown to kill them all on his shoulders. Just as his brother used to carry him around, he was now caring for his 'little' brother. _Is he really my LITTLE brother now? _

His musings were interrupted by a playful voice in his ear. "Funny hair guy, can we go to the top of the mountain?" asked Itachi.

_He speaks pretty well for a four year old. Then again, this is ITACHI we're talking about._ "Sure. Do you want to walk, or be there before you can say 'flicker'?"

"Flic—" Itachi was cut off by the sudden acceleration of a body flicker, leaving Itachi gaping at both the feat and the view of the entire village.

Sasuke let a wide grin show. "How was that?"

"Cool! Do it again!" The teen chuckled.

"When we go back. Why don't you enjoy the view for now?" They savored several minutes of companionable silence before the boy decided to humor a sudden whim of his.

"Funny hair?"

"Hm?"

"Why is your hair so weird?"

Sasuke ground his teeth. _If this is your way of getting back at me, Nii-san, mission freaking accomplished._ "It is _not_ weird!" But as he was about to discover, arguing with a four year old was like trying to get Naruto to eat something other than ramen. It just didn't occur to them to change their minds.

00.000.00

"Obito, watch my back!" yelled Kakashi-kun. With Minato on his honeymoon, Kakashi-jisan volunteered to lead Team Minato as their jounin-sensei, completing the four-man unit. They were on the frontlines between Iwa and Konoha, spearheading an attack one of the remaining vital Iwa supply lines. Kakashi-jisan had taken Naruto's sentiment to heart and ordered his team to avoid killing their enemies whenever possible. If there was to be peace, it would be far easier to attain with less blood on the scales.

Kakashi-kun charged into the Iwa formation, Chidori roaring to life. Kakashi-kun's older self had taught him how to use the Chidori as a nonlethal jutsu by delivering a huge electrical shock instead of an elemental stab. His Sharingan allowed him to prevent running headlong into death, but he would be quickly overwhelmed if he wasn't covered by his team. Obito weaved seals for a non-lethal fire jutsu that would hopefully take his targets out of the fight. Kakashi-jisan charged straight in, Sharingan spinning wildly, as he overwhelmed two Iwa chuunin with pure taijutsu. The three of them made quick work of the Iwa team, and they bound those defeated while Rin treated the shinobi who had serious wounds. Satisfied that they wouldn't be hampered by the enemy team for the duration of the mission, Kakashi-jisan signaled for the team to head on towards their objective: a supplies stockpile in the middle of an Iwa staging area.

Reaching the perimeter of the staging area had been difficult, but many years of ANBU experience allowed Kakashi-jisan to make quick work of the sentries. Spotting the target, Kakashi-jisan whispered to his team. "Listen up. I'm going to take out the target from here, but it's going to cost me a lot of chakra, so you'll need to watch my back as we retreat. Rin, I'm going to need you to prepare a soldier pill."

She complied, and Kakashi-jisan pulled down his mask, much to the interest and shock of his team. He uncovered his Sharingan eye, which then morphed into a completely new design—a three pronged, twisting shuriken. All three of his younger teammates gasped at that, and Obito was in total disbelief. Before they could continue their trains of thought, black flames erupted near Kakashi-jisan's eye, hurtling towards the large stockpile. The Iwa camp quickly fell into chaos as the black flame enveloped the entirety of the supplies with bystanders looking on helplessly. Kakashi quickly covered his eye with a hand, and grunted in pain. All three of them noticed him crying blood, adding to their confusion.

After a few moments, the older Kakashi placed his hitai-ate back over his Sharingan and wiped the blood away. "The pill, Rin…"

She quickly handed it to him, and he promptly swallowed. "Alright," he croaked, his voice weak. "We need to move. I won't be very alert, so you three will need to watch each other's backs."

00.000.00

Daisuke had been enjoying a nice day. Well, nice by the loosest of definitions. He hadn't died, so he could count that as "above average." He had just eaten a terrible meal, walked outside the mess tent, and stretched when _black_ flames erupted throughout each of the supply piles and tents. He was so mystified by this strange phenomenon that he didn't even order his subordinates to try and put the flames out; something told him that it would be futile anyway. Within minutes, nearly all of their supplies had been burnt to ashes, including the terrible food he had been looking forward to eating tomorrow. He looked at the damage, almost in a daze. _This is ridiculous,_ he thought. _First the entire advance force gets taken prisoner, and now THIS? _

"Commander!" shouted one of his men. Daisuke turned to face him with a defeated expression.

"What is it?"

"Sir, we've just received reports that Suna has signed a peace agreement with Konoha. And…well, there are rumors going around that say…well…"

"Out with it, chuunin." He didn't have time for games.

"Well, sir, they're saying that when the advance force was taken prisoner, there were _TWO_ Yellow Flashes of Konoha. And…that the second one summoned this giant toad and used some huge jutsu made of pure chakra."

Daisuke sighed. "Thank you for the report. Dismissed." This was _indeed_ getting ridiculous. If Konoha was mounting up major victories when they were fighting a war on two fronts, Iwa was screwed now if Konoha could direct all of its attention on them. These newest developments only served to confirm his fears. He entered his command tent and began writing a letter to the Tsuchikage. He'd be damned if he was going to let his force be captured or killed when Konoha's Yellow Flash came on the attack. With their stockpiles gone, their staging ground would have to go onto emergency rations, and any offensive maneuvers would have to be cancelled entirely. Perhaps most importantly, morale was in the ditch.

And Daisuke didn't think a victory was coming any time soon.

00.000.00

"Buy me some time, Gamabunta-san!" yelled Jiraiya. His fight was not going well. Hanzo had many years of experience and inherent skill over the Toad Sannin, and it showed. While the summons were relatively equally matched, Jiraiya could never gain the upper hand, and when it came to fighting Hanzo personally, he knew that his chances were not very good. His only hope would be to enter Sage Mode, but preparing the required summons would take quite some time.

He still had some time to go when Hanzo launched a massive water dragon at him. Gamabunta was busy blocking an attack from Hanzo's famed salamander, and Jiraiya was out of ideas. The water dragon hurtled towards him fast…too fast…

"_Shinra Tensei!"_ The water dragon exploded around him, its form blown away as if someone had struck it with a giant sledge hammer. Jiraiya turned to see Nagato with his hand outstretched, panting. "Sorry, sensei…_pant_, but I've always wanted to fight beside you."

They both smiled, and Jiraiya cherished the moment. "Likewise, Nagato! I'm just about ready. Let's show this Salamander the true meaning of power! Summoning Jutsu!"

Through the smoke, two small toads appeared to be standing on Jiraiya's shoulders. "What? Jiraiya-chan, did you HAVE to summon us into pouring rain!"

"Sorry, Shima-sama, but I'm in a bit of a tight situation here…"

"Leave the boy alone, Ma-chan. Are you ready to fight, Jiraiya-chan?"

"Of course. Let's start with Goemon! On my mark!"

Nagato stared at his sensei, mouth agape and yet smiling at the same time. He'd dreamed of such a moment, but living it was even sweater. The Toad Sage lept into the air above the salamander and dropped a wave of flaming hot oil, engulfing the summon. Hanzo lept for safety, but Gamabunta quickly cut off his escape and swung his giant sword down. He managed to dodge, but Nagato immediately intercepted him. He cast his most powerful wind jutsu at the man, who managed to counter with a wall of water. Gamabunta swung his sword again, forcing the Ame leader to dodge yet again. Hanzo weaved a series of seals and unleashed another water dragon, which the toad jumped away to evade. With the man distracted, Nagato body flickered close to his flank, but he noticed the maneuver. Hanzo attempted to swing his head around to fire the jutsu at Nagato, but he thrust his hands forward, unleashing a Shinra Tensei at point blank range. The force the attack sent the older man flying into the earth, but he managed to recover before Nagato could make an incapacitating blow.

As Hanzo weaved another series of seals, he was peppered from behind with dozens of white needles, and the Salamander fell over, a now dead legend. Nagato looked behind the corpse to see his sensei standing on all fours. "Sensei?"

"You were amazing, Nagato." The sage placed hand on his shoulder with a smile. "I think it's time we fixed the situation in the Land of Rain, don't you think?"

00.000.00

"What _was_ that, Jisan?" asked Obito. They had just crossed the frontlines and were heading back to base camp. Rin and Kakashi-kun were just as curious; they had never heard of anything like that before.

"What you saw were the Mangekyo Sharingan and Amataersu, respectively."

"_Mangekyo _Sharingan? I'm an Uchiha, and I've never been told such a thing."

"Because it's a dark and well kept secret of the Uchiha clan. There is an advanced form of the Sharingan, called the Mangekyo Sharingan. It carries great powers, but at a heavy cost. The reason you have never been told about it is because to activate it, you must feel the pain of losing the person you are closest to."

They mulled over his words for a moment before asking the obvious question. "And who did you lose, Jisan?" asked Rin.

Kakashi-jisan looked back at his team. "You, Obito, Sensei, and Kushina-nee-san, among others."

They all stopped in their tracks. "_What?_" asked Obito. "You mean _Sensei_ died? And Rin…and…Kushina…" his voice trailed off, emotional pain evident.

"Now's not the time for the story. But like I told Rin, you don't need to worry. We're not going to let any of that happen this time. But back to the original question, the true reason why it's such a dark secret is because it was originally believed that one could only awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan by killing one's closest friend or loved one."

Kakashi-jisan took note of more shocked expressions. "As you can imagine, if such a secret were to become public knowledge, the Uchiha clan would become covered in blood. If that wasn't bad enough, the act of killing one's closest friend gives the person a different kind of pain. They awaken their Mangekyo Sharingan, but because they feel guilt and pain associated with directly killing their friend, their Mangekyo has a serious drawback." He waited, giving a dramatic pause. "By using that type of Mangekyo Sharingan, they grow more and more blind each time they use one of its techniques."

Obito knew that to an Uchiha, who valued their eyes so much, going blind was a punishment worse than death. "But you don't have that problem, right, Jisan?"

"Right. Trust me, this kind of power is not worth the cost. Would you want to lose Rin in order to gain this eye?"

Knowing full well of Obito's feelings for Rin, Kakashi-jisan got the exact reaction he was looking for: an exasperated denial.

00.000.00

"Would you like a massage, _Namikaze-san?_"

"Why of course, Mina-kun," answered an equally playful Kushina. The couple had been ecstatic when they heard that their honeymoon had been extended by the Hokage. Although Kushina didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, he was naturally curious. He asked Hiruzen why when the older man stopped by to deliver the good news and got a very intriguing reply.

"_You haven't heard?" asked Hiruzen. "It seems your s—cousin is quite the peace maker. He personally convinced the Kazekage to sign a peace agreement, and practically every citizen in Konoha is in high spirits. I thought it only fair to allow you an extension on your honeymoon now that half of our forces are no longer tied up on the southeastern front."_

Kushina was very much enjoying herself when she remembered something. "Remind me to generously thank Naruto when he gets back, 'kay?"

_Oh yes,_ thought Minato,_ I'll be sure to let him know just how much I owe him._

00.000.00

From Suna, Naruto and his diplomats headed north for Iwagakure. This time, he employed the use of Gamahiro for travel, making it to the border of the Land of Earth in a day in a half. They headed towards Iwa, eventually coming across a patrol of genin. They were obviously flabbergasted at seeing what they believed to be the Yellow Flash of Konoha, but Naruto quickly alleviated their worry and asked for an audience with the Tsuchikage. Two days later, their request was granted.

00.000.00

Onoki, the Sandaime Tsuchikage, was ready to rip his hair out. He had bet a lot on that overwhelming advance force, hoping they would penetrate deep into the Land of Fire and allowing Iwa to set up forward bases near Konoha, but it had been embarrassingly foiled by the Yellow Flash of Konoha and some other blond enigma. Then he received news of a peace agreement between Suna and Konoha, and Onoki knew that victory was now in jeopardy.

Of course, he wasn't truly worried until he had received a letter from one of his _own_ commanders, '_suggesting'_ an '_immediate attempt at peace negotiations_.' The reports of so called 'black flames' engulfing the entirety of one of the major base camps' supplies put true doubt into the Tsuchikage's mind. What _else_ were they capable of?

00.000.00

Naruto was very surprised when negotiating a peace treaty with Iwa turned out to be even easier than it had with Suna. The Tsuchikage readily agreed to a peace agreement, and the terms were not at all unfavorable to either side. As Naruto turned to leave, he smiled at the whispers of "Yellow Flash" coming from every Iwa citizen he came by.

00.000.00

Hiruzen's pipe literally fell out of his mouth when news of _another_ peace agreement, this time with Iwa, reached his ears. He ordered his ANBU guards to spread the news while he sent out stand-down orders to Konoha forces. After a few moments of pondering, he decided to go inform his unknowing successor of this newest development. He approached the door to their suite and was about to knock when he heard certain _sounds_ that gave him pause. Embarrassed, Hiruzen pulled out a blank scroll, ripped a piece out, wrote down the message, and slid the paper beneath the door. _Well Naruto, you certainly know how to do your parents a favor._

00.000.00

Wrapped in a towel, Kushina walked out of the shower and noticed a slip of paper by the door. Minato peered over at her curiously as he watched her read the note with a dropped jaw.

"What is it, Kushina-koi?"

"You're not going to believe this…" she said as she sat down on the bed and handed him the piece of paper.

He read the note and had the same reaction. "_What?_ He managed to get a peace agreement with Suna _and_ Iwa in less than two weeks?"

"We'll have to throw him a celebration when he gets back."

"Speaking of celebrations…"

00.000.00

Hinata had never enjoyed sparring with her father in her life. He was always stern, with impossibly high expectations and wrought with disappointment when she constantly failed to live up to them. But now, he was a much kinder man. He held no expectations for her whatsoever, and was quite impressed with her skills. Hiashi had already already ordered the elders to find a way of safely removing the caged bird seals, and the edlers' protests fell on deaf ears as news of peace settlements with Suna arrived. Ironically, Hiashi ended up making the same arguments that Hinata had formulated in her head years ago. Her fondest experiences, however, were with her mother.

It was no secret to her friends that Hinata loved to cook. Naruto made it a point to brag about her cooking "prowess" at every opportunity, but she always remained modest about it. She was surprised to learn, though, that her mother was even more skilled than she was.

And so they found themselves cooking nearly every meal together, sharing laughs and commenting on gossip. She was thankful to Naruto for convincing her to interact with her family instead of avoiding them altogether, but always thought of her younger sister with a heavy heart.

"_I think maybe it's time to let the past go."_

_I know,_ she thought, _but I'll never forget._

00.000.00

"So, did you find any boys in your time?" Sakura walked alongside her unknowing mother in the shopping district of Konoha.

Sakura laughed and gave a slight blush. "Well, for a while I had a huge crush on this one guy. Turned out to be a big mistake, but now I'm not so sure."

"Did you hear about the peace treaty with Iwa? Does this mean that we're no longer at war?" she asked.

"Yes, and yes. Respectively." Sakura beamed at her mother. "Turns out the cousin of the Yellow Flash is quite the negotiator."

"The Namikaze family, eh? I guess we can expect great things from them in the future, then."

_Yes, Mom. You have no idea._

_

* * *

_A/N: Yes, I gave Kakashi Amaterasu. Why? Because it makes sense that he would have it. And I want him to have it. Plus, this is over a year after canon events; he's had plenty of time to train. Still, it takes a lot out of him.

I also took a little creative freedom with the MS blindness; since Kakashi knew about a lot of MS technique and quality stuff, it would make sense that he would know about it's drawback. However, despite using his MS quite a bit (and that's just on panel, not including the times he's used it to develop the jutsu itself) and has never indicated any loss in vision. I like it better this way, to be honest.

**PLEASE REVIEW! I would really appreciate it :)**

Naruto works his magic yet again, but this time he has actual events on his side; Iwa's prospects are not good, and Onoki knows that, so he's going to settle for peace.

Next chapter will likely be titled "Revelations". Take from that what you will.

Until next time!


	9. Revelations

A/N: Update date - 6/30/10. This chapter was pretty hard to write, but several parts were very enjoyable, and I can't wait to see what your reactions are.

To my reviewers: Thank you once again! I loved hearing from each and every one of you. I said before that this story is not outlined (aside from general ideas and eventual scenes), so your suggestions might very well end up in the story. I meant it; some of the stuff you'll see in this chapter are influenced by or appear as a result of your suggestions. As hard as it is to write a story without an outline, it can be really fun sometimes. If you guys want to hear more about that, let me know.

You'll also notice that I am largely disregarding recent manga revelations regarding the Kyuubi attack; there are several reasons for this. One, I can't wait another week to see what happens, and two, if I followed canon here, it wouldn't work out very well for my purposes. I have a specific scene in mind for that part, and I can't do it if I follow canon.

So, my reviewers for Chapter 8 were...

.Alpha, ShamaLamaDingDong, empire14, THE-complete-zelda-fan, TsubasaWitch, luckycomet09, BloodKitsune11, Jamie-LuvsFanfiction, Shinigami, wind dancer1981, the DragonBard. Thank you guys!

Now for personal responses:

ShamaLamaDingDong: The second to last scene is actually a result of your review. Just for you ;)

TsubasaWitch: Iwa didn't give up. It didn't surrender or even accept terms that were unfavorable to it, it just accepted peace instead of continuing the war. The biggest factor, really, is the morale; the Yellow Flash just owned a large advance force single handedly, there's rumored to be a SECOND Yellow Flash (confirmed when Naruto shows up to negotiate), Suna declares peace with Konoha (that's a BIG deal; Konoha can now focus all of its attention on Iwa, and with twice the forces), and then they hear reports of a whole supply cache being burned by BLACK flames.

Shinigami: The only reason Konoha actually went through with Kumo's demands is because they were weak and Kumo was strong. Here, the circumstances will be different. Plus Hinata would personally go and kick Kumo's ass if a repeat incident were to occur. And as for Kumo...you'll see.

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 9: Revelations**

_-October 10__th__, 207-_

Masaru, the Yondaime Kazekage, stood on his balcony with his wife, Karura, and their newest son, Gaara. Admiring the sight of his wife carrying his son, the new Ichibi jinchuuriki, he was reminded of the great debt he owed that time-traveling blond. Placing an arm around Karura's shoulders, he viewed the brilliant night sky from one of Suna's highest points, which he repeatedly boasted as the best view in the world.

The moment was broken when a bright whitish-red light shone on the horizon in the direction of the Land of Fire, startling even the Kazekage. "What's that?" his wife whispered, fearful.

"I have no idea…but it almost seems…demonic…"

00.000.00

_-Present Time-_

Naruto returned to a hero's welcome amidst a high-spirited festival. All of Team Kakashi was there to congratulate him, much to the blond's pleasure. He quickly diverted much of the attention to his two accompanying diplomats, saying that they were the true heroes for doing the hard and boring parts. Kakashi-jisan couldn't help but chuckle at his student's antics, and even the formerly stoic Sasuke enjoyed a few laughs.

Once he was clear of the immediate crowd, Naruto suddenly had two arms flung over his shoulders, scaring the teen out of his wits. He immediately assumed he had been ambushed by fangirls, but a quick look at his sides revealed none other his parents beaming at him.

"We really have to thank you, Naruto," said Kushina. "Well, aside from two peace treaties, I mean. You got us _two_ extensions on our honeymoon. We're not the kind to let such an act go unreturned."

"And as _my_ gift," said Minato, earning a glare from Kushina, "I'm going to teach you the Flying Thunder God technique." To prove this, he held up one of his famed special kunai.

Though Naruto felt immensely content, he felt a little guilty, deep down. "Umm…Minato? Kushina? Is there a place where we could talk in private?"

They were puzzled by the request at first, but quickly complied. A few minutes later, they arrived at the couple's suite. Taking seats across from each other, Naruto stared at the floor, wondering how to break the news to his unknowing parents. "What's wrong, Naruto? You look more depressed than I've ever seen you…" said Kushina.

"Well…it's not for no reason…I mean it's not every day you turn the worlds of people you care about upside down…"

Minato and Kushina were starting to get nervous. _What is going on?_ Minato thought.

"I guess there's no good way of saying this…basically, what I'm going to tell you is completely true, and you can ask the Hokage if you don't believe me. Look, I want to apologize…I've been lying to both of you since the day I met you."

_I don't understand_, thought Kushina_, he seems so genuine…what could he possibly be lying about?_

"I'm not your cousin, Minato. The truth is…I'm not from this time. I'm from the future, and I arrived in this time by accident."

For once in his life, the Yellow Flash of Konoha couldn't think of anything to say. _Huh? Okay, from the future? Is that even possible? Well…come to think of it, a lot of things would make sense…_

"You're really…from the future?" asked Kushina. Naruto saw the worried expression on her face, causing him to frown. She considered him family even before she married Minato.

"Yes. I know it sounds crazy, and I know _I_ must sound crazy, but it's the truth. So…like I said, I'm not your cousin…" He paused, knowing what he was about to say would change everything in ways he couldn't imagine. "…I'm your son."

The couple's eyes went wide and their mouths agape. For Minato, many random pieces of information began to fall into place. _The Sage Mode, completing the Rasengan, his looks, his skill with seals, the way he acted like he knew me from the moment he saw me…woah…_

Kushina's head was spinning. _I just got married, and I have a son? But…there's no denying it…he has just as large an appetite for ramen as I do…and there's only one way to explain that._

Naruto fidgeted nervously under his parents' shocked expressions. He had assumed the worst, that his parents wouldn't be able to cope with the situation, or that they would never have a parent-son relationship. He wouldn't blame them, he had long since decided, because this situation was beyond surreal. How could he possibly expect them to treat him like a son when they hadn't met him until he was 17? But for a brief moment, an epiphany crossed his mind. _I treated my parents like my parents since the minute I met them. Then again, a few minutes was all I ever had…_

"Well, that explains how you could keep up with me in a ramen eating competition." The teen looked up to see his mother smiling. "Though I can't fathom how hard that must have been for you, spending time with us without being able to tell us who you really were."

Minato and Kushina walked over and hugged their son, who reveled in an experience he had never had in his life, yet always wanted. "You've already made us more proud than you could imagine," said his father. "And I bet you've got loads of awesome stories to tell us, right?"

Naruto's expression suddenly took a turn for the worse, much to the parents' confusion. "Sort of…" he said, his voice wrought with pain.

They gave him a little space, but the concern in their faces only deepened. "What do you mean, Naruto?" asked Kushina.

The blond teen stared at the floor once more, his voice barely above a whisper. "When I walked with you after that battle, Dad, and when I talked with you on the village walls, Mom, I was so happy…because I guess it was my first time really meeting you guys…"

The meaning of that admission wasn't lost on the couple, but Minato _needed_ to know for certain. "Do you mean…that we both died when you were little?"

Their son's gaze never left the floor. "The day I was born."

For the newlywed couple, this was almost too much to bear. Not only had they both died, but they had left their son alone his entire life…

"But I swear, I'm not going to let that happen this time." They looked up to see a determined look in the teen's eye. "I have the power to stop it, and I'll be damned if I'm going to lose you again."

The declaration brought smiles to his parents' eyes. "I can see you've inherited your mother's determination," commented his father.

They all smiled; it was going to be a long and difficult road to recovery, but for the first time, they would do it as a family.

00.000.00

Hinata smiled as she watched her love walk with his parents, arm in arm. If there was anyone who deserved a second chance with his family, it was him.

"Don't tell me you've got an interest in him too?" said her father.

She knew exactly what he meant by 'interest,' and would have cracked up were it not for her years of emotional training. "I would certainly hope so, he's my boyfriend."

Her parents were taken aback at this. "You two started a relationship? When?" asked Hitomi.

"Well, that's where it gets complicated. You could say a year ago, or you could say 17 years in the future. Your choice, really."

Hitomi laughed. "It seems you are rather full of surprises, Hinata-san. He's from the future as well?"

"Yes. He's Namikaze Minato's son, actually. But as I'm sure you're aware, that's part of the S-rank secret."

They nodded, clearly impressed with the recent revelations. "I'm very curious about how he managed to secure peace treaties with both Suna and Iwa in such a short time. Seeing as the Hyuuga are often requested for diplomatic missions, we'll have to ask him for advice. He must be a master of negotiation."

Hinata couldn't hold her laughter in any longer. To her parent's utter confusion, she keeled over, paralyzed by the humor of that request.

00.000.00

"Let's do the water balloon toss!" yelled Itachi. Sasuke walked with his family throughout the festival, with Itachi sitting on his shoulders.

"Sure," replied Sasuke.

As the family walked over, the teen had a bad feeling nagging at him in the back of his mind. Before he could give it serious thought, the stall owner handed him a bucket of water balloons. Itachi turned out to have pretty good aim, and nailed several targets. On the last balloon, Sasuke suddenly found his head drenched in water, and looked up to see a greatly amused boy clapping his hands together while cracking up.

Even Mikoto and Fugaku couldn't mask their laughter, forcing Sasuke to join them. "Laugh it up, Itachi. But I'm going to get you back for this. Mark my words…I'll get my revenge," he said with a smile.

"What? You'll make my hair as weird as yours, Sasuke-nii-san?"

Such a reversal caused a surprised expression to appear on Sasuke's face, but he grinned after a moment. "It'll be so bad, you'll have to wear a hat for a month."

00.000.00

Several hours later, the Uchiha family headed for home. They walked in companionable silence, which was promptly broken by the blond force of nature Sasuke had come to know as 'Naruto.'

"Oi! Sasuke-teme!"

Fugaku and his family turned to see the blond hero approach them in a rather carefree manner. He also noticed, much to his surprise, the Yellow Flash and his wife walking alongside the teen. _Sasuke-teme? What?_

"Naruto? What…?" Sasuke didn't want to finish that question, knowing that it would at the very least arouse suspicion.

"Can we talk with Sasuke in private for a few minutes, Fugaku-san?" asked Minato. The clan head nodded, though the confused expression remained, much to Naruto's amusement.

"I'll meet you back at the house," Sasuke told his parents.

After the group moved to a secluded area, Naruto began the conversation. "I think it's time I removed those seals."

Sasuke looked at his friend, perplexed. His gaze shifted nervously between Naruto and his parents, and the blond teen understood the gesture.

"They know the full truth, Sasuke. And if the way you were walking with your family is any indication, you're back to your good-old, idiot bastard self. I'll remove the rest of the seals now, if you don't mind." While Naruto had removed one of the seals after he was satisfied Sasuke wasn't going to go berserk or run away, he hadn't fully regained his trust in the man until recently.

After awkwardly lifting up his shirt, Sasuke cringed in pain as his chakra surged throughout his body for the first time in weeks. He activated his Sharingan and smiled at his friend. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, teme. Oh, by the way, have you seen Hinata lately?"

"Huh? Yeah, she was with the crowd in your welcoming committee. It shouldn't be too hard for you to find her, you seemed to have no trouble finding _me_ all the damn time."

"Hn."

Sasuke gasped. "Wait, did you just _grunt_?"

Naruto's eyes bulged as he realized what had just happened. "Oh SHI—Sasuke, let us never speak of this moment again."

"Agreed."

The Uchiha flickered away, and Naruto's parents laughed at their son. "So, who was that?"

"My old teammate. Now…" Naruto struck a thinking pose that Kushina and Minato found adorable. "Got it. Give me a minute." He then plopped a squat right on the spot, eyes closed. Kushina opened her mouth to ask something, but Minato quickly covered it with his hand.

"He's going into Sage Mode," whispered Minato. Less than half a minute later, Naruto stood up, revealing red silhouettes around his yellow, toad-like eyes.

"Found her. Why don't I introduce you guys? Follow me."

In a matter of minutes, the trio located the Hyuuga family near the Hyuuga compound. Naruto almost facepalmed at how obvious that should have been to him, but decided to hold off on self-castration. She sensed him immediately, and pointed him out to her parents.

"Hitomi-san, Hiashi-san, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Namikaze Naruto," she said with a huge grin.

"And I'd like you to meet Hinata-chan," Naruto said to his parents. He took her hint, and knew not to refer to Hinata's parents as such. "She's the best cook you'll ever find and one hell of a kunoichi."

Genuinely pleasant greetings were exchanged, but both Naruto and Hinata were stuck with a rather frustrating dilemma. For Hinata, she couldn't mention that Minato and Kushina were Naruto's parents because she wasn't sure if they already knew, and for Naruto, he couldn't mention that fact because he wasn't sure if Hinata's parents knew. Finally, they realized that they were thinking along the same lines nonverbally and nodded. "It's nice to meet the parents of this incredible man," said Hinata. "I've always wondered who could have produced such a strong willed, compassionate shinobi."

The parents in question were embarrassed by the flattery, but grinned all the same. "Thank you, Hinata," said Kushina, "but I believe Naruto here deserves most of the credit." She had been worrying the entire night, trying to imagine what her son's life must have been like. Without any parents (though Naruto never mentioned any siblings, either), it must have been hard. But she repeatedly tried to assure herself that it couldn't have been too bad, considering how well he had turned out, and that the entire village must have helped him every step of the way as the son of the Yellow Flash. Surely Rin, Obito, and Kakashi would have taken care of him and even trained him, right? Still, Naruto _did_ deserve most of the credit. Aside from giving birth to him, she hadn't done a thing in his life, and neither had her husband.

"Why don't you join us for some tea?" asked Hitomi. "It would be an honor to invite potential family into our home."

Naruto paled. _Tea? At the HYUUGA compound? Oh Kami—_

"That would be wonderful, Hitomi-san." The blond teen glared at his mother, shocked by her betrayal.

00.000.00

"Come on Jisan, there's got to be SOME cool stories you can share with us," pleaded Obito.

Kakashi-jisan had walked with his team to a secluded clearing to enjoy the night sky. All three of his 'students' stared at him expectantly, eager to hear stories from the future.

"Well…hmm…" To be honest, Kakashi-jisan thought, there weren't many happy stories he could share without spawning a slew of questions or needing a ton of context. "Why don't I tell you about my own genin team? Surprisingly, they were a lot like you three." He grinned inwardly, they were hooked. "First, there was the cool, callous genius who cared about power and personal advancement. He," Kakashi pointed at his younger self, "was a lot like you and me. He initially looked at his teammates as nothing more than a burden, though he did grow out of that eventually. For a time, anyway…and then, there was the smart kunoichi, who suffered from an enormous crush over the team's genius despite receiving a cold shoulder each and every time." Kakashi-jisan took great pleasure at lookin at Rin the whole time, who was sweating under the attention of her teammates. "She never even noticed the true feelings of her other teammate, who held a crush of his own for her." Yes, Kakashi loved dropping hints whenever possible. "Perhaps not surprisingly, she went on to become a skilled medic-nin. And finally, we had Konoha's number-one-unpredictable-knucklehead ninja. He pulled pranks of epic scale in his academy days, and was just about as clueless and slow as you could possibly imagine. On our first day together, I had them do a teamwork test with the same bells I used in our practices. All teamwork disappeared on the spot when I lied to them, saying that whoever didn't get a bell by noon would get sent back to the academy."

"And they eventually learned the true purpose of the test, and put up a good fight?" asked Obito.

The older Kakashi merely chuckled in response. "Not at all. The so called genius went it alone and failed, the kunoichi fawned over her crush and embarrassed herself, and the knucklehead…" He laughed again before continuing. "Fell for every trick in the book. Right from the start of the test, he walked up to me, demanding a 'fair and square' fight, right there, right then. He got his butt handed to him so badly, I don't think he even realized how it happened. Then I used a genjutsu to make it seem as if I had dropped the bells by a tree, and the idiot made a beeline for them. Naturally, his foot got caught in a simple rope loop trap. He cut himself free, only to fall into yet another trap. They all failed miserably."

Kakashi-kun's eye stared at him in disbelief. "What? But I thought you said that this was your genin team? If you failed them, then how did they stay?"

"Well, I decided to give them one last chance. I tied the knucklehead to a stump, telling the genius and the kunoichi that Naruto would not be allowed to eat for trying to steal the lunches—which he actually tried to do—and that they'd get a second chance after lunch. Against my instructions, they both offered part of their lunches to the knucklehead, and when I confronted them, they claimed that they were a team and all needed their strength for their second chance. After that, I passed them."

Rin laughed at the irony. "Wow, sounds like a bunch of misfits and egotistical idiots if you ask me. What happened to them?" she asked, suddenly wary of yet another story about death.

Kakashi-jisan actually grinned in response. "Actually, you're spot on. They were a bunch of misfits and egotistical idiots. Of course, as you would probably expect, they were an utter failure of a team later on."  
It was Obito's turn to laught now, he almost expected his 'sensei' to say that his team became legendary ninjas.

"But here's the funny part," said Kakashi-jisan, interrupting the thoughts of his team. "You see, their ultimate act of failure as a team is the very reason why I'm here telling this story to you right now. My genin team members' names are Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Namikaze Naruto. And you owe them your lives."

_What?_ they all thought in unison.

"You mean that same pink-haired, master medic, student-of-Tsunade-of-the-Sannin Sakura is that egotistical, idiotic kunoichi from your story?" asked Rin.

"And that guy who just struck two peace treaties with Iwa and Suna is that arrogant knucklehead?" asked Obito.

"And that guy I've never heard of was the genius?" asked Kakashi-kun.

All three turned to stare at Kakashi-kun in disbelief. "Did you just make a _joke_, Kakashi?" asked the Uchiha.

"What?" the teen in question asked. He looked at each of his teammates, confused. "Why is that such a big deal?"

00.000.00

Mikoto was very surprised when she walked into Sasuke's room to find him already asleep. It wasn't _that_ late, she thought, so he must have had a tiring day. Then again, he _had_ been playing with Itachi all night. She quietly placed his clean clothes near his bead, and turned to leave when a voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Nii-san…why…"

It was faint, almost dreamy, but distressed. Mikoto didn't want to intrude, but her curiosity got the better of her. Sasuke started thrashing in his sleep; she deduced that he was either going through a terrible nightmare, or he was reliving a horrible memory…she hoped it was the former.

"…just for that…you killed everyone?"

She froze, terrified at what she was hearing. This teen was from the future, and she and her husband had discussed the hints that the Hokage had dropped when they were told the secret. Whatever had happened to the Uchiha clan in the future, it was bad.

"…scared…no…Nii-san…don't kill me…"

Unable to hold her shock in, she gasped. _What in Kami's name happened to this child?_

"…wait…"

Mikoto couldn't take it anymore, and shook the teen out of his sleep. She flinched when he awoke with an absolutely terrified expression on his face, but was confused when his expression turned to shock as he continued to stare at her.

"Kaa-s…" Sasuke's eyes bulged even wider, right along with Mikoto's.

_Kaa-san?_ she thought, _what does he…oh Kami!_ Neither said anything for a while as the two continued to stare at each other, each wondering if their suspicions were correct. Finally, she broke the silence. "Sasuke…I know that you're from the future, but…was I…_am_ I…y-your m-mother?"

Sasuke was frozen in shock, but after a few moments he brought himself to give a slight nod, his expression never changing. Mikoto's mind was reeling; this teen was her son all along? She fell backwards, supporting her weight by placing an arm behind her. All of the information she'd learned about him up until now slowly began to form a picture in her mind's eye. The teen had been very shy at first, yet looked at her—_his_—family with wonder, as if he were looking at ghosts. His time around Itachi in particular seemed to bring out far-off looks and complicated expressions. "S-sasuke? Y-you're my s-son?" She needed confirmation, first and foremost.

Once again, he nodded. Unable to contain her emotion any longer, she embraced him, tears spilling out of her eyes. Whatever his early life had been like, she knew, it had not been happy. Sasuke could scarcely remember the last time he had had physical contact like this, let alone from his family. As tears stung his eyes, he decided to let go of the countless emotional barriers he had placed around himself throughout his life and returned his mother's gesture.

00.000.00

Kakashi-jisan grinned at the three kids before him. They had all grown very close in the past few weeks, and Kakashi of all people knew how drastic a change that was. Sharing stories of the future with his team—and now, he supposed, students—had done wonders for all of them, especially the older Kakashi. Whereas he once looked back upon his life with regret, guilt, and pain, none of that was present now. He could even recall the tragic memories and figuratively replace them with the pleasant memories he was now gaining.

"Jisan?" All eyes diverted to Rin, who asked the question with noticeable distress.

"Hm?"

"You told me about the Kyuubi attack on Konoha, and how Minato-sensei stopped it, but…how is this time going to be any different? From what you told me, the Kyuubi's power is beyond our imagination, and even Minato-sensei had to sacrifice himself to seal it away…"

This information was news to Obito and the younger Kakashi, who stared at in with confusion and fear in their eyes. "Jisan?" Obito asked. "What's Rin talking about?"

Kakashi-jisan sighed before answering. _Even these memories are still painful to think about._ "When I was fourteen, Konoha was attacked by the Kyuubi no Youko, without warning. The Kyuubi is a bijuu; a beast made up entirely of demonic chakra. It is the most powerful of the nine tailed beasts, and only one person in Konoha had any hope of stopping it. Minato-sensei, who was the Yondaime Hokage, went to combat the beast, but its power was even beyond him. What was truly tragic about the situation is that Kushina-nee-san had just given birth to their son. She never even got to hold him…" Kakashi tried to stifle the pain, but it was too overwhelming. "The village was under attack, and Minato only had one option, once chance at saving the village. He would have to seal the Kyuubi away within a child, at the cost of his life. He took his son within the same minute he was born, quickly explained his plan, kissed his wife goodbye, and went to his death. Shinobi were dying by the second, trying to hold off the beast until Minato-sensei could arrive.

"But even with the most powerful sealing technique known to man, the Kyuubi was too powerful. Knowing this, Kushina-nee-san, who was in absolutely no condition to fight after just giving birth, went out to join her family on the battlefield. Her chakra is special, you see, and she has a ton of it. It has inherent sealing properties, much like people have nature affinities, and she used the last of her strength and chakra to hold down the Kyuubi while the sealing process occurred and completed the seal with Minato-sensei. They both died within minutes of each other, and their son was left alone from the day he was born, a jinchuuriki of the beast that had destroyed so many lives in Konoha. As you could imagine, that boy grew up shunned and hated by nearly all of the villagers, who viewed him as the reincarnation of the Kyuubi, or something like that. Because Minato-sensei and Kushina-nee-san never got married, and because the baby itself was a secret, few people ever knew of the boy's heritage, and the boy himself didn't find out until he was 16. Because Minato-sensei had many enemies from the war, everything about the boy's past was kept a secret, even from him."

Rin hadn't heard that part; her knowledge consisted of only basic information of the Kyuubi attack. "That's…horrible…"

"Indeed. But against all odds, he grew up to be a happy man, and won the admiration of every villager in Konoha. He ended up saving the village _twice_ before he was 17. Rin, you asked how it's going to be different this time?" He had their full attention now. "It's going to be different because _he_ is going to make sure of it. That boy is Minato-sensei's son, Namikaze Naruto, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki of the future."

Kakashi-kun's single visible eye widened. "You mean that Naruto, the guy who brokered the peace treaties, and the guy who walked with us after the mission at Kannabi Bridge, is not only Sensei's son, but the Kyuubi jinchuuriki as well?"

"Yes. He's the most powerful shinobi I've ever seen, and he'd give up his life before he'd let anything happen to those he cares about. And, well…_I'm_ here too."

00.000.00

"So, Naruto-san, I've heard of your legendary diplomatic exploits in the recent weeks, and I'm very curious…how did you manage to succeed? For you to have made peace settlements with two countries that we were at war with within two weeks shows that you are a master of skills that I can't even fathom," said Hiashi.

Minato turned to his son with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, I'm very curious to hear about that as well, Naruto."

Kushina, seeing the opportunity, added her own pressure. "I want to hear all about how my son became such a master negotiator."

Naruto calmly took a sip of tea as his mind tried to stifle the panic rising from his chest. He could clearly see Hinata trying to stifle her giggles. "Hmm…well…I'm not sure really. I kinda just asked them, you know?"

Hinata didn't even try to hold back her laughter at the sight of everyone staring at Naruto in disbelief. This was _too_ funny to be possible.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"You just _asked them_, and they signed peace agreements in the middle of a war?" Kushina, known for her bluntness, didn't hesitate to ask the obvious question.

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Erm…yeah. I said that war just didn't make any sense for them, and that peace was helpful to everyone, and that I could level their village in a day if I wanted to, and—"

"_What?_" Kushina, yet again, asked the obvious (and somewhat rude) questions. "You threatened to _level_ their village in a _day_? And they _believed_ you?"

"Well, I _could_ have, I mean, it wouldn't be that hard…" Naruto completely misinterpreted the agape mouths and revised his claim, swinging his hands back and forth in front of him in a defensive gesture. "N-n-not that I would ever do that, of course! N-no, I wouldn't want to kill all those people, I don't want to kill anybody, that would just be horri—"

"Naruto-kun." Hinata's soft whisper stopped the blond's clueless ramblings immediately, much to everyone's surprise. "No one believes that you would have done that, they are merely surprised at the fact that you _could_ do it."

Naruto calmed down after a few moments, visibly deflating. "Oh."

00.000.00

After wishing the Namikaze family farewell and saying goodnight to Hinata, Hitomi and Hiashi retired to their bedroom. Laying in bed, Hitomi began processing the information she had gleaned in the past day. She had an odd feeling, like as she started thinking about all the facts and events of the day, the random bits of information began forming something consistent, yet she couldn't figure out what it was…

Hiashi turned to his wife, immediately alert and concerned when her heard her gasp. "Hitomi-koi, what's wrong?"

She returned his gaze, a worried and distressed expression plastered all over her features. "I think…I think Hinata may be our _daughter_…"

* * *

A/N: Yeah, I used "Kaa-san" instead of "Mother," I know. I might start just going with that, considering how I've been using other honorifics too.

Anyway, my version of the Kyuubi attack is different from canon, but I've tried to do justice to all characters involved.

I apologize in advance if you find Naruto's/Sasuke's parents' reactions to be underwhelming or not what you expected. Those were by far the hardest parts to write, and you have to keep in mind that many, many interactions between them occurred off-page (as in, not covered in my chapters), so they would all be closer than you might think. Don't worry, you'll see plenty more interaction between them all, trust me. PLENTY more.

Sasuke talked in his sleep because he was reliving the worst memory of his life; that nightmare was a direct result of spending so much time with Itachi, coming to certain personal realizations in that regard, and seeing the boy right before going to sleep. You'll notice that everything Sasuke said in his sleep was actually said (or in one case thought) during the Uchiha Massacre, in that order.

**Please review, and PLEASE let me know what you think. Taking a minute or two to type out detailed responses really makes my day, and you guys get longer chapters with less wait in between them as a result. Like I said before, suggestions CAN end up in this story, and already have many times.**

Until next time!**  
**


	10. Omake

**OMAKE**

So, this "chapter" is dedicated to explaining the process I go through of writing and planning this story. I won't spoil anything I don't want to spoil, so don't worry about that.

If doing something like this isn't allowed, I apologize in advance, but this isn't one big author's note, it's bonus material for the story.

Anyway…

As I've said multiple times, this story is not outlined. My other story, They Were Legends, _is_ outlined in decent detail, but this is not. Why? Because I've liked what I've done so far, and it's worked out pretty well. It also allows me to easily put in scenes that you—the readers—suggest to me.

I thought I'd share some funny quirks about this story that you may or may not have noticed that are a result of that. For instance, the original premise of this story involved ONLY Naruto traveling back in time; I was actually inspired to write my own time travel fic after reading "What If?", a fantastic time travel fic, and I wanted to create something similar. I ended up deciding to take everyone in the vicinity with them, and included Hinata in the group because of how tragic and angsty it would be for Naruto to have someone he loves never exist. Plus she's got a lot of potential for changing things as well.

After deciding that, I originally planned for Naruto and Co. to be escorted to the Hokage's office and find MINATO there as Hokage, with young Kakashi and Rin there for maximum confusion and hilarity. But I quickly decided to take a different route with it, hence the meeting with the Sandaime.

I also hate how in most time travel fics, the time travelers assume that _telling_ someone they're from the future would immediately get them thrown into a psych ward. Which honestly makes no sense whatsoever when they live in a world where you can shoot dragons of water out of your mouth and summon the dead, but I digress. In yet another example of a case where my lack of outlining was evident, I had originally planned for Kakashi to reveal his time traveler status (and true identity) right on the spot after saving his old team. But I had much more fun with the alternative, and so the ENTIRE direction changed to the time travelers keeping their identity a secret while still bonding with their family.

Which brings me to another point: I was going to have each of them avoid their families so that the Konoha 12 would be genetically identical, but found it stupid and very limiting in terms of plot.

My favorite admissions, however, are the parts where you can tell I literally just changed my mind on the spot. Examples: Remember how Naruto said that he could just bulldoze through the Suna or Iwa army and take everyone prisoner with some help? Remember how a few lines later, he just suggested that he could singlehandedly broker a peace deal? Yeah, that was me changing my mind on the spot, as I really didn't want to write a ton of action scenes. And of course, singlehandedly broker peace is exactly what he did.

Another example: Remember how Hinata was really worried that, logically, it was impossible for her to get close to her family without revealing who she was (which would have been very awkward for her)? And how Naruto showed up with a genius idea a scene or two later? Yup, the same idea occurred to me after I wrote the previous scene. Funny how that works out.

But perhaps my favorite example: The ENTIRE side plot of Jiraiya rescuing Yahiko and the Ame orphans started on a random whim/idea that I wrote as part of another scene, completely unrelated. When I wanted Naruto to say something that would irrefutably prove to Jiraiya that he was from the future, I was thinking of what he could say, and then stumbled upon the idea of him telling Jiraiya that the Ame Orphans were alive.

Basically, unless there's a specific idea, situation, or exchange that I want to do in advance, everything is written on a whim. So when a couple reviewers ask for more Kakashi/Team Minato scenes, there were more such scenes. And I enjoyed writing each and every one of them.

You'll also notice that I put a flash-forward in Chapter 9, at the beginning. Notice the date. Yes, they can see it all the way from Suna. Think about that. Keep that scene in mind, because you'll get a big "Oh yeah!" moment when you read the chapter that covers the Kyuubi attack. Which, by the way, is one of the few things in this story I actually have solidly planned out in my head, and I can't wait until I get to that part, for many reasons. Unfortunately, it's quite a ways off, so don't expect it next chapter or anything. That said…you'll get to see plenty of amazing things before then.

I also want to mention that starting next chapter (or at the latest, the chapter after that), I'll be using a plot device called the "memory room." This idea is from pharaoh-90's fantastic two-shot, "Memory Room". I highly suggest you check it out, and it will help you understand the plot device I'm probably going to be using a lot in the future.

Chapter 10 is being worked on as you read this, and there will be a very small timeskip. Stay tuned…


	11. Sometimes A Great Notion

A/N: Update date - 7/1/10. I was originally make this chapter a lot longer, but seeing as it's 2:40 AM right now, and that I found a perfect place to leave off, I'll have to wait until tomorrow to finish this part.

Damn, this chapter was really hard to write. Not in terms of difficulty, per se, but I cried a bit writing it. I warn you, it gets super depressing in a few parts.

I want to thank **pharaoh-90**, who gave me permission to use an awesome story device he came up with in his fic, "**Memory Room**". I **highly** recommend checking it out, it's a great two-shot. I loved using it, and I hope I've done it justice. You'll probably see this device used frequently in later chapters.

To my reviewers: Thank you so much! I really appreciated the comments, and it's because of you guys that I'm updating so frequently (and writing this at...2:45 AM, now).

My reviewers from Chapter 9 were:

Thousand Tailed Holy FlashFang, Icecce, Shinigami, BKwriter, Sora Nadeshiko, .Alpha, KitsuneSage-Benihime, wind dancer1981.

Thank you! I loved reading them. Let's see if we can hit the 100 review mark!

Personal responses to my reviewers:

Shinigami: That whole thing was a flash-forward (if you don't know what that is, I recommend looking it up), so chances are that will all be explained in due time. But as I mentioned, Karura was a victim of a terrible sealing process, and Naruto happens to be a sealing master...

BKwriter: Think about Naruto's character. He's the kind of guy who would sacrifice himself for his friends in a hearbeat.

Sora Nadeshiko: I assume you'll be satisfied by this chapter, then. But yes, I will.

Icecce: Naruto (**MANGA SPOILERS**) gained complete control over the Kyuubi's chakra; that's canon.

In case you were wondering, the chapter title, Sometimes A Great Notion, is inspired by the episode of the same name from Battlestar Galactica (and the original source, the novel of the same name by Ken Kessey), which deals with the themes of suicide in the face of great despair. With that cheery note...

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 10: Sometimes A Great Notion**

"You summoned us, Hokage-sama?" Minato stood beside his wife and son, a little worried; he knew that Hiruzen knew of Naruto's status, and likely knew a lot more about his son that he himself did.

"Yes, now…Naruto, I know I mentioned a decision before about certain…personal choices, but I'm afraid I have to make an exception in your case. I believe you know exactly what I mean, so if you'd like to take a few minutes alone to discuss this with Minato-san and Kushina-san, that'd—"

"They already know, Ojisan." Naruto appreciated the Hokage's skill with skirting around difficult subjects, but the awkwardness was still annoying.

"Oh. Well then, that makes my job much easier. Without further delay, then…" Hiruzen cleared his throat, and spoke in an official but warm tone. "Namikaze Minato, I have watched you grow from a little academy student to one of our villages best ninja, and I believe your accomplishments speak for themselves. You are highly intelligent, and show great potential above your already remarkable skill. It is for those reasons and more that I appoint you as my successor—as the Yondaime Hokage."

Naruto smiled knowingly at his father, who was flabbergasted by the announcement. Kushina was something between surprised and immensely proud of her husband.

"You were a bit later than last time, Ojisan."

Hiruzen caught Naruto's meaning immediately. "Well, I wanted to give you some time to bond with your parents before appointing him Hokage—which would have forced me to tell him all about you, as I'm sure you're aware."

"T-thank you, Hokage-sama, I…I will serve Konoha to the best of my ability," said Minato.

"I'm sure you will," Hiruzen said, though Naruto could detect a hint of sadness in his voice.

00.000.00

Mikoto had left Itachi with Yumi, Obito's older sister, so that she and Fugaku could talk with Sasuke in private. She had been wavering between worried and elated after discovering that Sasuke was her son; she loved kids and wanted to have at least one more after Itachi, but this teen appeared to have some very bad memories.

"Sasuke…I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but if you are willing to, we're all ears," said Mikoto.

He fidgeted nervously for a few moments, sighed, and looked at his parents with sad eyes. "It's probably the most painful memory of my life…I don't even like thinking about it. But…it's a memory that has defined my life and has carried new meanings several different times, so I keep going back to it. It's the night where I lost everything, where all that I held dear was destroyed and what I had left was turned into something that haunted me."

Fugaku took note of every word; his son had obviously lived through something terrible, and it very likely pertained to his family and the Uchiha clan as a whole.

"When I was seven, I came to the Uchiha District late one night to blood in the streets and weapons strewn about. I turned the corner to see bodies littered about like trash, Ojisan and Obasan among them." Mikoto and Fugaku grew deathly pale; the mention of their relatives being killed was hard to swallow, but for a mere boy to deal with something like this…

"Terrified, I ran home, hoping to find my parents," he looked at each of them, "you two, Kaa-san and Tou-san. I searched the house, but it seemed empty, until I reached the doors to the sparring room. I…realized that someone was in there, and I was beyond frightened…but I forced myself to enter, to a sight that remains burned into my memory. I saw…you two, dead on the floor and covered in blood."

Mikoto gripped her husband's hand even tighter as she tried to cope with the aching pain in her chest. "Sasuke…I'm so sorry…" she whispered.

To their shock, Sasuke didn't even look phased at recalling such a memory. "It wasn't…no, I shouldn't say that. I wish I could say it wasn't your fault…I wish I could comfort you and say that it was merely a tragedy of some kind, but that wasn't the case. You _were_ at fault, at least somewhat. I wouldn't even know the truth for many years, but it turns out you were planning a coup against the Hokage. Though the Hokage himself had attempted to reach a settlement, his advisors and a…certain man of authority determined that the complete extermination of the Uchiha clan was the only option."

Fugaku was not only shocked at hearing this, but suddenly hit by a wave of guilt and depression at learning that _he_ had been the reason for his clan's downfall and ruining his son's life.

"Though like I said, it was only somewhat your fault. The man who caused it all is still out there, and I plan on making him understand some of my pain before I kill him. In a way, the Uchiha Massacre was inevitable…that man would have carried the act out himself eventually, and I would have been killed as well, and then I wouldn't be here now to warn you."

"Who is this man?" asked Fugaku.

Sasuke looked at him with hate glazed over his blood red eyes. "Uchiha Madara."

Fugaku's and Mikoto's eyes bulged. "_Uchiha Madara?_ That can't be possible, the man's long since died!" protested Fugaku.

"No…he's alive, that much is for certain. I've met the man myself."

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," whispered Mikoto. "You've been through so much, and we're even partly to blame. I can't begin to express how terrible I feel about that…"

Noticing his parent's distress, Sasuke decided to change the direction of the conversation. "_You_ aren't at fault. Everything has changed now, and there's no use blaming yourselves for what you _could_ have done. I've done some terrible things in my life, too, so I can't act like a victim here."

They seemed to accept his words, though Mikoto wasn't about to let it go completely. "Still…to come home to find your entire clan and family murdered in a single night as a child…it must have been horrible…"

"No, that wasn't the horrible part."

His parents looked up at him, perplexed. How could something like that _not_ be the horrible part?

"If it was just the case of losing everyone in one night, it wouldn't have been so bad, in retrospect."

Now the heavy feeling returned to Mikoto's chest. Whatever else happened that night to make everything else seem 'not so bad' would be unimaginable.

"In that case, I would have grieved, and eventually been able to move on. But the truth is, there was _one_ other survivor of the Uchiha clan that night. You see, my nightmare only began when I saw your bodies on the floor, covered in blood. At first, I was greatly relieved to see another survivor walk out of the shadows of the room, thinking I was finally safe and that he could tell me what was going on. The man who I viewed as my role model, as my idol, turned out to be the very same man who turned my whole world upside down, who massacred the entire Uchiha clan in one night. You already know his name."

"W-who?" asked Fugaku.

"Uchiha Itachi." And just like that, their world had been shattered. The cute boy they were raising, cute little _Itachi_, would eventually massacre his own family and his entire clan in a single night. Their _son_.

"I wouldn't learn the truth for many years, as I said, but he was ordered to do it, for the sake of peace. Had the coup happened, there would have been a civil war. Itachi loved peace, and would do anything to protect it, even kill his own family. He could have chosen not to, but in the end he would rather take the lives of those he loved with his own hands…with the hands of someone who would weep over the act, instead of some callous soldier who wouldn't give a damn. That night, he buried his emotions as he killed his relatives, his father, his mother, and his lover, but in the end he could not bring himself to kill his little brother. He left me alive, the Last Uchiha, so that one day I would avenge the Uchiha clan and become a hero of Konoha. But in order for that to happen, he tried to lead me on a path to revenge, a path to power, and a path that would leave me completely blind to the truth. I'll never forget his words that night." Sasuke stared at the ceiling, as if in a trance. "As you are right now, you are not even worth killing. Foolish little brother. If you wish to kill me, then blame me, hate me. Live on in shame…run, run and cling desperately to your wretched life. And one day, come before me with the same eyes I bear now."

Mikoto and Fugaku couldn't find words, they couldn't think of anything to say in the face of such horror.

"And that became the credo I lived by. I swore to myself that I would obtain power no matter the cost, that I would sink to any depths to complete my revenge and kill my older brother, Itachi."

Sasuke awoke from his reverie, returning his earlier pose. "He kept up the façade of being a monster so that I would never even suspect the truth. He fooled me even up to the point where I killed him. Where he _let_ me kill him. And even in his final moments, despite living a life so terrible _I_ can't even fathom, he died with a smile on his face. He wasn't a monster. He wasn't a bad person. He did the most with what he had, and despite his mistakes, he never stopped being my loving older brother on the inside. So don't you dare hate him. Don't you dare look at Itachi like he's some little monster or a murderer in the making, because if you do, I will never forgive you. I will stop at nothing to protect him, and I would take my own life if it were a mere whim of his. I will honor his memory for as long as I live.

"I don't want you feel guilty about anything, nor do I want you to apologize. _You_ never committed any of those acts, and Itachi will never have to deal with such despair as long as I am alive. You need not weep for my sake, either. I've gotten over that loss. Take the knowledge I have given you and ensure that none of it ever happens. Ensure that the Uchiha clan stands loyal behind the Hokage, ensure that the very same attitude of power, entitlement, and arrogance that plagues the Uchiha clan is stomped out without delay. Make their sacrifice worth something, so that you can recall this story and say, 'I made certain that it will never happen.' Do not despair; use the pain to motivate you to save others from it."

00.000.00

"Thank you all for coming," said the Sandaime. "I summoned you all here for very serious reasons, so it is in your best interest to believe everything I am about to tell you."

Several days had passed, and with the announcement of Minato as the Yondaime Hokage, the entire village was in high spirits. Gathered in an odd-looking room adorned with intricate seals were an equally odd collection of people. All of Team Minato and the parents of each of its members; Kakashi-jisan, Naruto, Sai, Sakura and her parents, Sasuke and his parents, Hinata and her parents, Kushina, and several jounin and other high ranking Konoha officials.

"These six people in front of you are all Konoha ninja who are from the future, and have accidentally traveled into the past—our time. I know this will be difficult for many of you to process, but please accept everything I am telling you as the truth in order to speed up this process."

Several confused looks spread around the room, but the families of each of the time travelers were not surprised; they had all been informed ahead of time by their children.

"Now that you know that," the Sandaime continued, "it is paramount that you understand what you are about to be shown. According to these future ninja, Konoha was attacked on October 10th, 207 by the Kyuubi no Youko and none other than Uchiha Madara."

Only Minato's students remained stoic at that information. Minato himself was stunned at the news; he and Kushina had purposely avoided the topic of the day of Naruto's birth, hoping to connect on happier levels first.

"It was during that attack that several things happened; we lost the lives of many ninja, including our esteemed Yondaime Hokage, Namizake Minato…" Hiruzen let that information sink in, hoping that the audience would realize the gravity of the situation from that tidbit alone. "…and Minato-san's son was born, whom you see in front of you now." Many people looked at Naruto in wonder, now putting together the image of the Yellow Flash and Konoha's Great Peacemaker. "But equally important to all of the above, the Kyuubi was sealed into Naruto, making him the future Kyuubi Jinchuuriki."

Naruto noticed his parents' eyes bulge, taken aback by this new revelation.

"What you are going to see now are the memories of the future Hatake Kakashi, who is the only one here old enough to recall the events of that day. We're in what is called the 'memory room.' Through the seals placed in this room, you will be able to enter the minds of those presenting their memories, and experience them in intricate detail, though with a few modifications. Namely, you will not experience pain nearly as intensely as the memory contains, and you will also view the memories as something between _being_ there and observing it. It will take some getting used to at first, but I'm confident each of you will be able to handle it in a short amount of time. Its use is rather simple, take a seat and place your hand on the seal in front of you, while the person inviting others into his or her mind will channel chakra through their respective seal. If at any point you wish for others to exit from your mind, you may simply will it to happen or stop your chakra flow. Kakashi-san, if you will begin…"

Blackness enveloped Minato's mind until he felt…_cold?_ He looked around, seeing that it was heavily snowing, and that he was also on a narrow path of snow, with each side dropping off into a black abyss. Minato's eyes peered at his student, confused. "This is your _mind_, Kakashi?"

The silver-haired jounin nodded, and motioned for everyone to follow. "Watch your step," he warned, "you don't want to fall." They continued walking on this narrow path until they came to a plateau of ice that seemed to stretch on for eternity into the darkness. "Stay close to me."

After a few minutes, they arrived at a spot that seemed absolutely no different from everything else. "It's right here," he said, almost regretfully.

Hiruzen nodded, and a thick fog enveloped everyone. Strangely, Minato could see everyone else when he wanted to or concentrate on the fog. Deciding the latter for the moment, he let his senses readjust to very different surroundings.

He was in a hospital, that much Minato could tell immediately.

"_Oh come on, Kakashi-kun. Minato-sensei said that you could come inside, and waiting our here twitting your thumbs just looks pathetic."_

_He looked up to see a fourteen year old Rin staring at him with a smile. He sighed, sat up, and entered the room. On the bed was an obviously pregnant Kushina with Minato by her side, donned in his famous white and red sage cloak. Nurses prepped equipment around the room, and one told Kushina that it would start very soon. _

_He stayed near the door, obviously nervous, acting like he shouldn't be here. Rin gently pushed him forward. "For someone who has gone headlong into battle several times, Kakashi-kun, you get nervous over the most ridiculous things."_

_Minato turned to face his students, beaming. "Glad you could make it, Rin, Kakashi. Knowing you, Kakashi, you'll probably want to leave when the actual birth takes place, but you're welcome to stay until the—" Minato froze, and everyone in the room felt the chakra spike. His face grew serious instantly. "Kushina-koi, I'm going to go see what that was, but I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't worry, you're going to be fine, the doctors will make sure of that. I love you." He kissed her chastely on the lips before turning to his students. "Kakashi, come with me. Rin, stay here and keep an eye on Kushina."_

Minato could scarcely believe it, he was witnessing his wife give birth to his son through his student's memories. He was overjoyed at the sight, but he quickly recalled what would happen next, and his mood darkened considerably.

_They made their way out of the hospital and to the village wall, taking note of the scared look of civilians and shinobi alike. Upon reaching the top of the wall, they quickly saw the source of the chakra spike: in the distance was a beast nightmarish in both appearance and in size. Behind the giant fox were nine swinging tails and a path of fire and destruction. The sky above the creature glowed red._

_Minato continued staring at the beast as it approached, and he started to get worried. "Sensei?" he asked. "What do we do?"_

_He was about to repeat his question in the face of Minato's continued silence when he finally spoke up to the ANBU awaiting instruction. "Alert the village defenses and order an emergency evacuation to the shelters. I need you all to buy me some time. Kakashi, you're with me."_

_They went back to the hospital, but Minato stopped outside the door of Kushina's room. He could see the pained look on his sensei's face, but before he could comment on it, his sensei entered. _

"_Minato-kun! URGH….what's…going on?" Kushina asked, panting through the pains of labor. _

"_Kushina-koi, I need you to focus on what you're doing and worry about the birth…everything else is being taken care of." Minato sat next to his lover, stroking her hair with a solemn look._

_He understood immediately. Telling Kushina about the beast would only add stress and panic into an already stressful process, and the results could be disasterous. But what was sensei doing, waiting for his son to be born while the village was under attack?_

_As Kushina's pained screams echoed throughout the room, he remained diligent and waited near his sensei, despite his discomfort. After several minutes of intense labor, the baby was born._

"_Congratulations, it's a healthy baby boy!" exclaimed the nurse. _

_Minato took the baby and wrapped it in a blanket before walking over to his lover. "Kushina, say hello to Naruto."_

_She looked at the baby, exhausted but smiling. "Naruto…" she said, her voice weak._

"_Kushina-koi…"_

_She looked up at her love. "There's something I have to do…and you're not going to like it…"_

_Her features were overcome with worry. "Minato-kun…what do you mean?"_

"_The Kyuubi no Youko is attacking the village, and I know of only one way to stop it…"_

_Kushina, a sealing master in her own right, immediately caught on to his hints. "You don't mean…"_

_Minato nodded, tears starting to spill from his eyes. "The Shiki Fuujin. Nothing else will be powerful enough…"_

_Tears spilled out of her eyes, too. "But you'll die!" That caught his attention. _What?_ he thought. _

_Minato looked into his love's eyes. "I know. But it's the only way."_

"_Minato…" she croaked, overcome with grief. "No…"_

_A small earthquake ripped through the building. "Kushina-koi, there's no time. I have to go. I—" he sobbed, unable to contain his sorrow. "—I love you, Kushina."_

_Minato kissed her, and all too quickly, stood up and turned to leave the room. "Minato!" she called after him, but he kept going. _

_He stared at the scene before him, too overwhelmed to move. Remembering his orders, he quickly got up to follow, but kept his head facing the room, seeing Kushina's terrible grief and Rin's tears. With that last look, he followed his sensei out of the hospital and to the village wall._

_The fox was close now, very close. He noticed dozens of shinobi futilely trying to distract the beast, but they were swat away like flies by the demon's mightly tails. It roared, shaking him to his very core. _

"_Hold him for a moment, Kakashi…" He looked at his sensei, who still had tears spilling out of his eyes. Quickly taking the baby from Minato's arms, he marveled at how tiny the baby looked. This was his sense's son, he realized. This little boy…_

_Minato weaved several seals, slammed his palm into the ground, and a huge puff of smoke appeared just outside the wall. Minato motioned to take the baby back, and he complied. _

"_I go it alone from here, Kakashi. I want you to know, it's been an honor being your sensei. Let Rin know that, too. Tell Kushina that I'm sorry, and please…take care of my son." With that, Minato jumped into the smoke, which cleared a few moments later, revealing a giant coat-wearing toad. The toad approached the fox and began to battle it, but it was clear who was superior._

"_Kakashi!" He turned to see his teammate jump up onto the wall next to him. _

"_Rin?" he asked. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to stay with Kushina-nee-san!"_

"_I was! But then she started saying something like, 'he needs me,' or something like that, and stormed out of the hospital after grabbing a pair of pants! I tried to force her to stay, but you know nee-san…"_

_He knew all too well. "Where is she?" he asked._

"_I don't know exactly, but I think she went to go fight THAT thing!" she yelled, pointing at the huge beast getting ever closer to Konoha. "She's in no condition to go fight, but she knows that! There must be something that Minato-sensei misse—"_

_Before he could react, a huge blast of chakra and earth smashed into the wall, sending him flying into a building below. His head ached from the pain as he tried to take in his surroundings. He quickly deduced that he was lying in a pile of rubble, but wasn't seriously injured. He coughed a few times, and shakily stood."RIN!" he yelled._

_He walked out of the rubble, only to notice that the entire area had been reduced to the same state. "RIN!" he repeated, trying to get a hint as to her location. He channeled chakra into his nose, using his enhanced sense of smell to track down her familiar scent. He finally caught it, and rushed over to her position._

_But when he got there, he couldn't see anything but a pile of rubble. "Oh no…RIN! Hang on!" He began clawing at the rocks, trying to get to his buried teammate. "No, no, no…" He continued to desperately throw the rocks away, until he saw a foot. With renewed vigor, he clawed the rest away, eventually reaching her face, which was bruised and covered in blood. The worst part, however, was the eyes…they were _those_ eyes, the ones that stared off into nothingness…_

_He gasped, but quickly checked her neck for a pulse. Finding none, he began to break down. "No…no, no..." Flashes of memory of Obito crushed underneath a rock surfaced in his mind's eye. He leaned over his dead teammate and wept…_

The fog cleared, and not a single person managed to keep their eyes dry. Naruto wept for his parents, seeing them knowingly go to their deaths with him in their arms; Minato and Kushina wept at the utter nightmare before them; Kakashi and his teammates wept at the loss of each other, and everyone else wept for the sheer tragedy of it all. Rin's parents hugged their child; Obito's parents did the same. Minato and Kushina embraced each other, taking Naruto into their circle. Kakashi placed a hand on his younger self's shoulder, and held him as the teen cried. After several minutes of sobs, Kakashi broke the partial silence.

"I would not be able to bear recalling that in such vivid detail were it not for the fact that you're all alive right now," said Kakashi. "So take a moment to process your emotions, but remember that this has not yet happened, at least not in this time. I showed you all this so we can be better prepared when the attack comes. But if you forget everything else, remember at least this: we have the power to stop it this time. All we need to do is make the right preparations."

A few moments later, Hiruzen addressed everyone. "If any of you from the future have any memories of the Kyuubi or a similar power, now would be a good time to show them. We need to know exactly what kind of power we're dealing with here."

All five of Team Kakashi looked at Naruto, who nodded. "Then I guess I'm your guy. We'll enter my mind now."

Kushina grew anxious, she didn't know much about her son's life, and seeing his mindscape might give her clues…

The scenery faded into darkness before a faint green light entered her eyes. It was dark, but not in the same way as it had been with Kakashi's mind. Adjusting her eyes, she saw that they were in something of a _sewer_ and in ankle-deep water. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, but what unnerved her was that every couple dozen feet, there was an intersection with another hallway that seemed to be just as long. Water dripped from leaky pipes above their heads. She had imagined many things, but _this_ was…unnerving.

"Come on, he's this way." Naruto began walking, taking random turns with freakish familiarity.

"What do you mean, 'he'?" asked Kushina.

Naruto looked at her with a raised eye brow before turning another corner. She followed him, and to her astonishment, they were no longer in a system of hallways, but a giant room. They all walked in, and Naruto turned to face them.

"Now, don't panic…" he said.

"What do you mean, Naruto?" she aksed.

"**Boo."**

**

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, quite the cliffhanger.

I made my own version of the Kyuubi attack. Honestly, Madara has successfully fulfilled the "Complete Monster" trope as of Chapter 500, but I can't work that into this story. I'm sorry. I hope you find this version entertaining, at the least.

In yet another case of impromptu writing, I didn't even realize the parallels with Rin's death until after I wrote the first bit, but it ended up working perfectly, giving Obito, Rin, and their families glimpses at Obito's brutal death.

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

Until next time!


	12. The Answer

A/N: Update Date: 7/1/10. Well, this chapter was HARD to write. I mean exhausting. By the end, I was just struggling to keep at it. I don't know why, but I kind of lost the enthusiasm that I had with previous chapters...don't fret, though, because the hard part's probably over.

A bit of forewarning: There are manga spoilers in this chapter. If you don't mind being spoiled about the next four anime episodes, then enjoy the chapter. Otherwise, I recommend skipping from when Naruto's second memory starts to the second to last scene. But honestly, there are plenty of spoilers as it is.

As I mentioned before, I'm making use of pharaoh-90's "Memory Room" story device from his two-shot of the same name, which you should read. Do it. I loved using it, but sometimes it gets really tedious basically putting canon events/pictures/dialogue into words, and then putting character reactions to them within. Chances are, I'll either skip over describing canon scenes (and just skip straight to the reactions) or I'll resort to old fashoined story telling. Or both.

Those of you who read the manga will note two things: One, there's a lot of canon material repeated in this chapter; please read it, because there's a REASON I put it in here, and there's my own stuff mixed in. The second thing you'll notice is that there are a few changes that I made to canon events; these are minor so don't worry about them.

I hope you guys like this chapter, because it was a b**** to write.

For those of you who may not specialize in subtlety, remember that Naruto and Co. are 17; NOT 16. In other words, one year older than current canon events. Meaning that Naruto's relationship with the Kyuubi has had plenty of time to change.

BIG NOTE: I've changed the perspective of the memories to first person; you'll see "I" used instead of "he" like with Kakashi's memory. Reasons: It's more fitting, and frees up the use of a very important word.

My reviewers from last chapter were:

yarra, ShamaLamaDingDong, I'm Smiley-chan, Ayase Reincarnated, Shi No T3nshi, Shinigami, wind dancer1981, HolyKnight5, empire14, luckycomet09, .Alpha, DrgnMstr, Frostius, elvesdragon, Taiki, Icecce, BKwriter.

Wow, thank you guys! I broke 100 reviews, which is WAAAAAY better than I ever expected when I began this fic.

Personal Responses:

HolyKnight5: Oh yes indeed. He will.

Shinigami: What the Kazekage/Karura saw was not the Kyuubi itself; that would be flat out impossible. No, they saw...you know what, go reread that part. Trust me, because you might find something very interesting in this chapter that's related to it. And as for your other worries...obviously, Itachi is going to have a childhood. Sasuke is going to make sure of that.

Without further ado,

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 11: The Answer**

"**Boo."**

Kushina turned around and screamed in sheer terror. Unable to process her fear, she fell to her bottom, hands barely supporting her. Many were just as shocked by the giant, nine tailed fox standing right over their heads. The fox released a deep chuckle that sounded more like nails on a chalkboard than laughter.

"**My, my, Naruto. You brought **_**guests**_** this time. And look at what we have here!" **The beast prowled around the group, slinking its nose towards two specific people. **"Kushina and the **_**Yondaime Hokage**_** himself! My, Minato, it's certainly been a **_**long**_** time, hasn't it? Well, I suppose for **_**you**_**, it hasn't been any **_**time**_** at all!"** The fox chuckled malevolently. **"How long has it been for **_**me**_** though? A year? Well, that is if you count those **_**tragic**_** moments where you were teased by illusion of seeing your parents, Naruto, only for them to vanish within minutes. I swear, you are so wrong when you call me emotionless. I cried at those moments! It's only natural that a demon's tears be made out of blood, but you seem to not be able to accept that fact. How **_**tragic**_**."** The beast turned back to its original subjects. **"Or shall we count that night you two tried to actually **_**fight**_** me as the last instance of our reunion? I must say, seeing you in such a panicked and helpless state is so…" **It stuck its nose right in Kushina's face. **"…**_**exciting.**_**"**

"Shut up, furball." The giant fox turned to look at its host. "They're scared beyond belief right now, and I don't need you making it worse. Really, this is a VERY bad time for you to amuse yourself at their expense."

The Kyuubi considered this for a moment before snorting and raising its head. **"Hmph. You're no fun at all."** The fox began prowling again, this time slightly farther back. **"So what brings you to my…**_**humble abode**_**?"**

"We're going to go look through some of our memories. Hope you don't mind."

"**Looking for a way to defeat my past self? How amusing. Surely you could just repeat your earlier feat…**_**right, Naruto?**_**" **It smiled, lowering its head towards its host.

"You and I both know that was only half of your chakra, and without the same killing intent the whole thing will have when the time comes."

"**So you aren't a complete idiot after all. I was beginning to wonder…"**

"We'll be going now. Have fun, furball." With a snap of his fingers, the surroundings dissolved into whiteness.

Hiruzen, though beyond scared, managed to keep his wits about him. He was astonished by Naruto's feat; such control over one's mindscape was unheard of outside of the Yamanaka clan…

Naruto noticed how shell-shocked everyone seemed to be, and gave them some time to cope.

Kushina was just barely coming to grips with what had just happened. After witnessing her family and village destroyed by that nightmarish demon, seeing the very same fox stick its face within mere feet of hers nearly gave her a heart attack. Few were faring any better, and it took almost a half hour for everyone to calm down enough to be lucid.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I probably should have stuck him back in his cage beforehand. I know he hates it, but I should have realized how scary it would be after seeing Kakashi-sensei's memory. Anyway…"

She stared her son, beyond bewildered. _He ordered the KYUUBI around and called it a FURBALL! And he talks about it like it's no big deal!_

Naruto struck his classic thinking pose. "How about we start with something that isn't super depressing…I could use a little break…ah, I've got just the thing."

The fog returned, but this time to a rather normal sight, Kushina noticed.

"_Why is our Team 7 sensei so damn late! All the other teams went off with their sensei, and even Iruka-sensei left!" I yelled, pouting._

_Sasuke just grunted, resuming his brooding, while Sakura stared at her crush, trying—and utterly failing—to be discrete. _

_I ran up to the chalk board, grabbed an eraser, and placed it at the top of the crack in the door._

"_Hey Naruto, what are you doing?" she yelled._

"_Hehe, that's what he gets for being late!"_

_Sasuke seemed mildly amused. "He's an elite jounin, Naruto, there's no way he'd fall for that."_

_A few moments later, a hand_ _reached through the crack in the door. I clenched my hands in anticipation, and the door opened. A man with a mask and silver hair stuck his head in through the door, and the eraser plopped right onto his head. I erupted with laughter. "HAHAHA! YOU FELL FOR IT! YOU FELL FOR IT!"_

_Sakura tried to claim she was innocent, while Sasuke just raised an eyebrow. _

_The man just scratched his chin while looking at us. "How can I say this…my first impression of you guys…I don't like you. Meet me on the roof."_

_Taking seats on the roof, the man began with instructions. "Well, tell everyone about yourself. Your likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams for the future, that kind of thing…"_

"_Why don't you go first, sensei?" I asked._

_He looked up in contemplation before speaking. "Sure. My name is Hatake Kakashi. My likes and dislikes…I don't feel like telling you that. My hobbies…I have many hobbies. Dreams for the future…hmm…" he trailed off, not continuing. _

_We looked at each other in disbelief. "So all we got…was his name?" asked Sakura. _

_Kakashi looked down at me. "Now it's your turn, start on the right."_

_I eagerly complied, fidgeting with my hitai-ate in excitement. "Yosh! My name is Uzumaki Naruto! What I like is cup ramen, but what I like even more is when Iruka-sensei pays for my ramen. What I dislike is waiting three minutes for the ramen to cook, and my dream…is to become the greatest Hokage, and have everyone in this village acknowledge my existence!"_

_I paused, my voice quieting down considerably. "Hobbies…pranks I guess."_

_Kakashi just scratched his head. "Next."_

_We turned to look at Sasuke, who was in his standard brooding pose. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are lots of things I dislike and I don't really like anything. And…I don't intend to leave it as merely a dream, but I have an ambition. The resurrection of my clan, and…to kill a certain man."_

_I looked at him incredulously. _He better not mean me…

"_Okay, and lastly, the girl…"_

"_My name is Haruno Sakura. The thing I like is…well the person I like is…and um, my dream for the future…um…? OH YEAH! What I dislike is Naruto!"_

_Exasperated, my mouth opened in disbelief. _What the hell did I do to deserve this?

"_My hobby is…" she merely stared at Sasuke._

_Kakashi decided to end it there. "Okay! So, with the introductions out of the way, tomorrow we'll start our duties as shinobi."_

_I threw up a salute, babbling off about what I thought we were going to do._

"_First," Kakashi continued, "we are going to do something with just the four of us…survival training."_

Kushina broke her concentration from the fog, smiling. Her son was so like her, down to his love for pranking and all things ramen. She looked over at her husband, who returned her gaze with a grin. She took his hand, and looked back into the fog.

_I waited with my team at the designated training ground for HOURS. Kakashi-sensei FINALLY showed up._

"_Hey guys, good morning!" he called out._

_We yelled, "YOU'RE LATE!" in return._

"_Sorry, there was an old lady trying to carry some groceries home, and I just had to stop and help her…anyway," he said, pulling out an alarm clock, "it's set for noon. Here are two bells. Your task is to take these from me before time's up._

"_Those who don't get a bell by noon…get no lunch. I'll not only tie you to one of those stumps, but I'll also eat right in front of you."_

So that's why he told us not to eat…_I thought._

"_You only have to get one bell. There are only two, so one of you will definitely be tied to the stump. And the person who doesn't take a bell fails, so at least one of you will be sent back to the academy."_

All of Team Minato stared at each other, and then Kakashi-jisan, in stunned amazement. Since when was Kakashi _late_, and since when did he make the _same_ excuses that he decried mere weeks ago?

Kushina watched her son with a mixture of pride and embarrassment as he struggled and failed to even make Kakashi drop his book and fight him seriously. It was adorable, she decided, and wanted to see more memories of her son's childhood.

"_Look at the numerous names carved into this stone. These are ninjas who are recognized as heroes of the village."_

_I made a stupid boast about how I was going to get my name carved into that stone for sure, but Kakashi was quick to correct my folly._

"_But they aren't just normal heroes…"_

_I was excited now. "Oh yeah? Then what kind are they?"_

_He didn't even look at me as he spoke. "They are all heroes who died while on duty."_

_My expression instantly darkened. "This is a memorial," he continued. "The names of my sensei, my teammates, and my best friend are all carved here…"_

Minato looked at his future student, understanding the kind of pain that he was going through. He had truly lost everything.

Kushina was surprised at how her son's team actually ended up passing, but it was a heartwarming moment.

"_..A ninja must see underneath the underneath. Those who break the rules and codes of the ninja world are called trash…but you know what? Those who don't take care of their comrades…are worse than trash."_

Obito and Kakashi-kun stared at each other, flabbergasted. Kakashi-jisan had just used his _exact_ words, telling them to his own genin team.

"_That ends the training. All of you pass! Okay! Starting tomorrow, Team 7 will begin its duties!"_

The fog lifted, revealing all members of Team 7 looking down with smiles on their faces. Naruto met his parents' eyes, who were grinning with pride.

"Kakashi was your sensei?" asked Minato.

Naruto nodded. "Fitting, isn't it?" He then stared at his feet, and Minato read his emotions perfectly: he was unhappy about something—nervous—but he wasn't sure how to proceed.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" he asked.

His son met his eyes. "I…" He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "…I'm not sure what to show you guys, exactly. I mean, there's a ton of stuff I could show you, but what I really want to show would bring up a lot of questions, and there's a whole bunch of context…"

"Why don't you start with the six and eight tailed transformations?" asked Sakura.

Everyone looked at her in surprise. "_Eight_ tailed _transformation_?" asked Kushina.

Naruto was one of the few who caught Sakura's meaning. "Well, that's what I was thinking, but I mean, then there would be all those questions about Pain's invasion, and why I even transformed in the first place, and the destruction of Konoha, and—"

Hiruzen interrupted him immediately. "_Destruction of Konoha_? What are you talking about?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing to worry about. That part wasn't a big deal. Plus I got to see Tazuna and Inari again—"

"_Not a big deal? _How is the destruction of Konoha not a big deal?" Hiruzen was beyond bemused.

"Well they just rebuilt it, of course. But that's a whole other story. See, Sakura? I haven't even started the memory yet and I've got loads of questions to deal with!"

"Ugh, just start with when you arrived in Konoha. We'll be here all day if we worry about all of the context."

The fog returned once again, to a very, very different setting. The first thing everyone noticed was the strange feeling which Minato instantly recognized as Sage Mode. He could literally _feel_ the natural energy around him, and everyone's chakra…

_I looked around, seeing nothing but dust. I was very confused, but the dust began to clear, and Shima jumped through the smoke next to my feet. _

"_Kaa-chan, what's going on?" the other toad, Fukasaku, asked. "I told you to summon us to Konoha!"_

_She looked at him, her expression grave. "This IS Konoha…"_

_Shocked, I looked for proof…and saw the Hokage monument in the distance. The dust was almost all gone now, and I could see that we were in the middle of a giant crater…_

Minato watched the memory, too stunned to say anything. His village, his _home_ was reduced to a crater…to total destruction. It made the damage from the Kyuubi attack look minor by comparison. How could they have not been told about _this_ first? Wasn't this a far greater catastrophe?

"_This saves me the trouble of looking for you," said the orange-haired man._

_A woman with long blond hair and a green coat jumped down to the six strange shinobi. "I am the Godaime Hokage…and I will never forgive you for trampling on the treasure, the dreams of those who came before me! As Hokage, I will put a stop to you here and now!"_

Kushina couldn't believe what she was seeing. But what wracked her mind most was what that mysterious man had said…why was he looking for her son?

"_It looks like you understand a little of my pain now. But…I have no use for you. The one I want…" One of the six shinobi flew at Tsunade, preparing to strike, when I flickered in, smashing it to bits with a Rasengan._

"_IS ME, RIGHT?" I yelled, more than angry. I calmed down moments later. "There's no need for Konoh'as Hokage to deal with the likes of these guys. You just go enjoy a nice cup of tea or something…"_

"_Naruto…" said the blond Hokage._

Hiruzen was quite perplexed at the fact that Tsunade became Godaime Hokage. How had the same woman who went into self-imposed exile, cutting off all ties from Konoha, ended up as its Hokage?

"_Maybe…this isn't the best time to ask…but now that I have natural energy, I can tell…I can feel everyone's chakra…did Kakashi-sensei and Shizune-nee-chan leave the village on a mission?"_

_Her silence was confirmation enough. The pain was overwhelming. "…I see…" I allowed myself a moment of silence before getting down to business. "…Go, Gamakichi…"_

Everyone understood his meaning perfectly. Obito, Rin, Kakashi-kun, Minato, and Kushina all looked at Kakashi-jisan with wide eyes. But if he was standing there, alive, how was it possible that he could have died?

They continued watching, baffled by the stunning power Naruto displayed. He threw giant summons into the air with his _bare hands_, and then formed Rasengans several times his own size…only for the three giant toads to follow up by leaping into the air to swat the summons down. It was a fight of epic proportions, one that even Hiruzen and Minato felt humbled by.

Naruto beat down another one of the shinobi with a odd, invisible attack extending from his punch. Forming two shadow clones, he paused as Pain spoke in the middle of the fight.

"_I see, so you've become a sage, just like Jiraiya-sensei."_

What?_ "Jiraiya….sensei?" I asked._

"_I studied under him, too. He was my old sensei. I'm your fellow pupil…we both studied under the same sensei. We should be able to understand each other…our sensei longed for peace."_

_Furious, I began forming a Rasenshuriken in my palm._

"_Don't screw with me!" I yelled. "Look at what you've done…HOW CAN YOU CALL THIS PEACE!"_

"_You can't see the forest from the trees. You don't understand the meaning of peace. So…come quietly. Allow yourself to be captured. Your death will lead to pace."_

_I moved to throw my technique. "I said…DON'T SCREW WITH ME!"_

The few who had not seen the technique before were floored by its power. Suddenly, Naruto's dream of becoming the greatest Hokage didn't seem very far off…

The fight continued with each exchange becoming more impressive than the last. The one who did all the talking seemed to have the power to push and pull things at will. At one point, he blew all three giant toads _out of Konoha_ in a single attack. Naruto himself was pulled in and pinned by the other remaining enemy, and his chakra was being drained.

Kushina marveled at her son's tenacity to never give up, seeing him somehow destroy the other Pain even while still pinned by him, but things quickly went downhill from there. Seeing her son pinned to the ground via impaling rods was like torture, but she would discover that his pain had only just begun.

"_You asked me why I'm doing this…my answer won't change anything. But if we have a little chat…then maybe…. My goal is something not even Jiraiya-sensei could achieve. I told you before…through justice, I will bring peace."_

"_Peace…? Justice…? You've got to be kidding…you've got to be frickin' kidding me! My master! My teachers! My friends! My village! How can you say that…WHEN YOU DESTROYED THEM ALL?"_

She looked at her son, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. This scenario was probably just as hard for him as seeing her family destroyed was for her.

"_Then…what do you want?" he asked._

"_I want to defeat you! And bring peace to this world!"_

_Pain walked over to his side. "I see…that's beautiful. That is _justice_. But…_my_ family, _my_ friends, and _my_ village…were all destroyed too. Do you really think the ninjas of Konoha are the only ones who are allowed to talk about peace and justice?"_

He continued to talk about Amegakure's history and suffering at the hands of the great nations, especially Konoha.

"_We both want the same thing. We both want the peace Jiraiya spoke of. You and I are no different. We're both working for our own justice. The justice I have meted out against Konoha…is exactly the same as you are trying to mete out against me._

"_Everyone feels the pain of loss the same. We both know that pain. You are working for your justice…and I for mine. We are just ordinary people driven to revenge in the name of justice. But if revenge is called justice, then that justice breeds yet more revenge…and becomes a cycle of hatred._

"_Living within it, aware of the past, predicting the future…that is what I means to know history. We cannot help but know that people can never understand each other. This world of ninjas is ruled by hatred."_

Sasuke listened to every word that was said. This…this was his inner turmoil, his former purpose in life, broken down to a single conversation.

"_How would you face this hatred in order to build peace? Let me hear your answer."_

_I remained silent…I couldn't… "I don't know…I just don't know…"_

"_I created Akatsuki in order to break that cycle of hatred. I can do it…that's why I need the Kyuubi's power. With all of the tailed beasts, I will build a weapon far more powerful than what it took to destroy this village. It will be able to destroy an entire country in an instant. The world will know true pain, and fear of that pain will put an end to war…it will lead the world to stability and peace."_

Hiruzen could scarcely believe what he was hearing. They were trying to prepare for the Kyuubi attack, and here was something that seemed to be far worse. The power of every tailed beast combined into a single weapon…

Hiashi watched with great pride as his daughter charged in to save Naruto. What shocked him—and everyone else—was that she confessed her love for him right there and then, much to Naruto's surprise. But that pride quickly turned into pain as he watched he struggle futilely against such a powerful opponent. She crawled towards him, obviously in great pain. Finally reaching him, she explained why she continued trying in the face of such hopelessness, revealing that she and Naruto shared the same nindo.

Kushina watched in pure horror as Hinata was suddenly thrown in to the air…and slammed back down into the ground, forming a crater from the impact. Pain procured another black rod, and lifted his eyes to meet Naruto's. What happened next…made her weep for her son.

"_DON'T!" I begged. I couldn't lose her…_

_Immediately afterwards, he stabbed her prone, broken form. I saw the blood pool from her body, and everything went numb. I couldn't believe it. This wasn't happening. He…killed…her. The first person to ever say the words, 'I love you' to me…no…no…NO!_

"_This is just like…how my parents were murdered in front of my eyes by Konoha shinobi."_

_I didn't even hear his words. I exploded in a rage and a sea of pain, willingly accepting every bit of the demon's power as it all flowed through me. Everything went red…_

Minato's senses suddenly had to cope with a duality of memory, both from the viewpoint of Naruto's consciousness and the Kyuubi's.

_It roared, six tails and a skeletal structure forming into existence. I knelt in black water, clutching my head in pain. There was so much pain…_

_It charged at Pain, who tried to repel it with another repulsion attack. It actually dug its tails into the ground and roared, sending Pain hurling into the crater wall. It advanced further, stopping a small distance away from its target. Balls of pure chakra emerged from the fox before forming into a tight ball in front of its mouth. Suddenly, a huge stone crashed into the fox, destabilizing the chakra ball. The resulting explosion was colossal; whitish red energy filled its vision. It chased after him, into the forest…_

_Pain threw something into the sky, and everything began erupting from the ground, combining into a giant ball in the sky. It was pulled into it, attempting and failing to break free._

_It was too much, I couldn't deal with it. This pain…What do I do? What is the answer? _

"_Give yourself to me…I will save you from the pain." I looked up, in a trance, to see the Kyuubi standing behind its cage. I walked over, my feet sloshing in the black liquid getting higher and higher._

"_Yes…that's it…"_

_It broke free of the Chibaku Tensei, eight huge tails flailing from the ball along with a muscled, bloody fox head. Its roar was sinister, pure hatred…_

_Just as I was about to rip off the seal, a hand snatched my wrist. I looked over to see blond hair and a white cloak before he grabbed me and pulled me away from the cage. I looked over at the man, recognizing him as my idol, as Konoha's greatest hero: the Yondaime Hokage. _

"_The seal is set so that if eight tails form, I'll emerge within your consciousness. I didn't want that to happen…I never wanted to see you again, Kyuubi. But…I looked forward to seeing how my son had grown, so I guess you could call it even."_

"_GRRRRAH! YONDAIME HOKAGE!" it yelled._

"_COME HERE! I'LL RIP YOU TO SHREDS!"_

Minato watched, seeing a glimmer of hope in the memory. Somehow, he had managed to place an imprint of himself in the seal, allowing Naruto to finally meet his father.

"_Saying you're going to rip me to shreds isn't going to make me come closer. Just the opposite, right, Naruto?"_

_I looked at him, confused. "…Naruto…? That's my name…how…?"_

_The taller blond looked at me like I was stupid. "Huh? 'Cause I gave you the name, of course. You're my heir, after all."_

"_Heir? Then…you mean…?"_

_The Kyuubi let loose an ear-splitting roar, ruining the moment._

"_Yeah! Just what I said. You're my son."_

It was a touching moment, but everyone looked on, confused. Why didn't he know about his legendary parentage? How could he not know who his father was?

Their conversation was a mixture of guilt and relief. Minato and Kushina were very surprised by Naruto's reaction, both when he slugged his father in the gut, crying about how difficult his life had been because Minato had sealed the Kyuubi within him, and when he smiled, saying that he could deal with it because he was the son of the Yondaime Hokage.

"_Pain is the one who killed Jiraiya. But the more I think about it, the more I believe he was really killed by the disorder that gave birth to Pain…ninjas fight that hatred. All ninjas fight that hatred. Jiraiya entrusted you with the answer to end this hatred."_

_I looked down, recalling the events of the past few days. "But I can't forgive Pain…I can't!"_

"_Yeah…"_

"_Tell me…what should I do?"_

"_You have to find the answer yourself. I don't know the answer."_

_I panicked at that. "But if you and that pervy sage couldn't do it, then how can I? That's not fair! I'm stupid! And I'm not a good ninja! And—"_

_I was cut off by a hand ruffling my hair. I flinched, unfamiliar with that type of contact. _

"_You will find the answer…I believe in you."_

"…_really…can I really…?"_

"_Parents always believe in their children."_

_I smiled at that…thinking about the idea of parents in the past always brought me nothing but pain and emptiness, but now…_

"_Now…I have to be going…my chakra is fading. I'll restore the seal, but this is the last time."_

_I grunted in pain as the seal rewove itself back into place. _

"_Konoha can be rebuilt…I'm counting on you, Naruto."_

_Thank you…Dad…._

Naruto looked at his father and gave a warm smile. Minato, though unable to respond at first, quickly returned it. Several moments later, they caught on to the fact that everyone was looking at their exchange, and Naruto resorted to a nervous tic of his: rubbing the back of his head while looking down.

"Naruto…" whispered Kushina. She couldn't find words to describe her feelings, though she believed that Naruto could tell exactly what she was thinking.

"That was incredible," Minato finished. "But…what did you mean, when you said how much trouble the fox caused you?"

"That's a story for another time…" he said, quieter than usual. His parents took note of it, but decided to go along with his wishes.

Yumi spoke up expectantly. "Wait, but what happened next? And I don't get it, if Hinata died, then how is she here right now?"

Obito raised an eyebrow. "Or Kakashi-jisan, for that matter?"

Hiruzen was asking the same questions in his mind, but focused on another saddening revelation. His student, Jiraiya, was killed…

Sakura facepalmed. "Naruto, just show them the rest already so we can get these questions out of the way."

"Alright, alright! Jeez, saying 'please' couldn't hurt once in a while, could it?"

The fog returned, and the group watched the memory continue. Naruto's tactics were as whacky as they were incredible, and his final, desperate victory was inspiring, to say the least. But what puzzled them was that Naruto seemed to be convinced that there was someone _behind_ those enemies, and they soon found out why.

He entered Pain's hideout, alone. Trembling with rage, he struggled with the prospect of killing Pain, but decided on a different path. In the end, he somehow managed to convince Pain that there was another way, another answer…and Pain's dying act resulted in the revival of everyone that he had killed, much to everyone's astonishment. Naruto returned to a hero's welcome, and the memory ended.

"Well, that was fun!" Naruto yelled as he stretched his arms. "Like I said, the destruction of the village itself wasn't a big deal. And there's really nothing to worry about, since definitely won't happen again. Alright then, what's next?"

Kushina blinked at her son's antics. _How is he so carefree? He reminds me of…me…_

Hiruzen cleared his throat. "I think we've had enough excitement for one day…"

Everyone but Naruto nodded profusely.

00.000.00

Hiruzen noticed that everyone walked home in close physical contact with their loved ones at all times. He couldn't blame them; he would have done the same if his wife were there. What he had witnessed had been deeply disturbing, even though he already knew what happened. Well, for the Kyuubi attack, anyway. That other memory…even if it would not happen in the future, seeing the village that he loved and cared for reduced to a giant crater hit him very close to home.

00.000.00

Minato walked home, hand in hand with his wife and an arm draped around his son's shoulder. Though they didn't say anything, the physical and emotional comfort of just being together meant so much to them. They reached the Namikaze home, and knowing they were alone, Minato turned to say something to his son.

"Naruto, I—"

They were suddenly caught in a tight embrace, and after the initial, surprise, they gladly returned the hug. Enjoying the moment, Kushina almost missed the quiet sniffling noises coming from her son, and rubbed his back in an attempt to comfort him. Several minutes passed like this, and eventually Naruto stepped back, wiping his eyes.

"All this time," he said, "I've wanted to talk with you…to walk with you. To know about you, to be a _family_, and now that my wish came true in a really weird way…I don't know what I'm supposed to do…I don't know what families are supposed to do…"

Minato placed his hand on top of his son's head and ruffled his hair. Naruto looked up at his father, recognizing the familiar gesture, only noting that this time, his father wouldn't disappear mere moments later…

"You just have to be yourself, Naruto. Just remember that your mother and I will always be there for you."

* * *

A/N: And so ends the chapter from hell. I'm sorry if I disappointed you guys, but I really tried to make this chapter work. Let me know what you think so I can improve upon my mistakes; I'm also looking for feedback on how well my usage of the Memory Room in this chapter worked.

Until next time!


	13. What You've Been Missing

A/N: 7/2/10. Now, I know what you're thinking...this chapter is really short. And at a mere 2000 words, you'd be right. However, I loved writing this chapter and wanted to get it to you guys immediately, and what the heck, why not?

My reviewers for last chapter were:

mi5tan, Hakumei-chan, .Alpha, Kikyohater220, HyDrOmAtIc.

Not as many as I had hoped for, but I really appreciate what you guys wrote nonetheless!

Personal responses:

.Alpha: Yeah, I loved that aspect for Sasuke too. It's one of the many things that's allowed him to emerge from his emotional shell and become the character you'll see in this chapter.

I put in several aspects for this chapter that you guys suggested, so I hope you enjoy it. I know I did :)

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 12: What You've Been Missing**

"…to…"

_Ugh…nugh…_

"…_ruto…"_

_Ugh…huh?_

"…aruto…"

Groggily opening his eyes, Naruto saw his father standing over him with his trademark smile.

"…Dad?" I asked, barely awake.

His smile grew even wider. "About time! You're definitely not a morning person, just like your mother. Come on, breakfast is ready."

_Breakfast? What? But I haven't even gotten out of bed yet…_ Before he could ask, Minato left the room. _Where am I?_

Taking a look around, Naruto found his surroundings very unfamiliar, but as yesterday's events flooded his mind, he realized he was at his parents' house. Grateful to still be in his pajamas, he stepped outside of his room and was hit by a mouth-watering smell. Turning the corner, he saw his mother cooking in the kitchen with his father's arms around her. They were laughing about something…

I walked over to the table, still very confused about the situation. I tried to think of something from my life that would equate to this, something that would tell me what to do…but there was nothing.

He just stood there until Minato seemed to sense him. "Oh, Naruto! I see you actually managed to get out of bed. Have a seat, Mom's going to start dishing out in a moment."

Naruto did as he was told, but his confusion lingered. _What does he mean? What's going on?_

Minato kissed his wife on the cheek before sitting down at the table, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Moments later, Kushina walked over with a large pot of what Naruto recognized as ramen—filled to the brim with many ingredients. It smelled fantastic, just as good, if not possibly _better_ than Ichiraku's. At that thought, Naruto began questioning his sanity. She poured three servings into each of their bowls, moved the pot to the side, and gave a loud, "**Idatakimasu!**"

Minato followed suit and began eating. Noticing that her son hadn't even touched his breakfast yet, Kushina (uncharacteristically) put down her chopsticks, eyes full of concern.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" she asked. Minato began to worry as well; something was seriously bugging their son for him to not dig in to homemade ramen.

"I…what is this?" Naruto asked.

"It's ramen, silly," replied his mother. But her answer didn't satisfy him in the least. "Naruto, I don't understand what you mean…"

Minato studied his son; he seemed to be searching for words, but couldn't find the right questions to ask. Logically, there was no issue with the food, and he was clearly confused about the situation as a whole…and then it occurred to him. The sad reality hit him like a ton of icy cold bricks. Naruto was confused because he'd never been in any situation like this before; he'd never had a family meal, and judging by his utter confusion, had never awoken to someone cooking breakfast. "Naruto," he said, trying to hide as much of his guilt and pain as possible from his voice, "this is a family breakfast. It's what families do all the time. Just dig in and enjoy the meal, though feel free to talk about anything you want." He added a smile at the end, hoping Naruto wouldn't misunderstand.

Kushina caught on to his meaning immediately and had to strongly resist the urge to let her grief show.

"Oh."

Seeing that just trying to return to normality would be very difficult under the circumstances, Minato decided to strike up some conversation. "So Naruto, who taught you the Rasengan?"

The blond teen immediately perked up. "Oh! Ero-sennin did!"

"Ero-sennin?" asked Kushina.

"Huh? Oh, Jiraiya-sensei."

The couple cracked up, realizing just how fitting the name was. "Wow, Naruto, I'm going to have to remember that one. It's a very interesting coincidence that you and I have the same sensei, and my student is also your sensei."

Naruto nodded several times—likely an old habit of his, Minato deduced. "You better try the ramen, Naruto, it will blow your mind."

His son seemed startled, as if realizing that he had a bowl of ramen in front of him for the first time. Kushina watched with anticipation as her son tried the first bite…

"…well?" she asked nervously.

The teen suddenly brought his head up with a gigantic grin and yelled, "This is even better than Ichiraku's!"

Kushina blushed at the praise, and Naruto promptly started devouring the bowl in mere seconds. Minato looked over at his wife and recognized _that_ look in her eye. _Oh no,_ he thought. _Not now…_

Without much warning, Kushina mirrored her son's eating habits, leaving Minato with his mouth agape. They both finished their bowls at the same time, both grabbing the ladle at the same time. Mother's and son's eyes locked, launching the heated competition. But there was only one ladle…

Thinking quickly, Minato rushed to grab a second ladle before dropping it in the pot. Realizing what he had done, Minato could only watch in horror as the entire pot was devoured in minutes, with him only able to squeeze in a couple bowls between their intense competition. They both finished, reaching for the ladles…only to notice that there was none left. Minato slammed his forehead against the table. _This is ridiculous…_

00.000.00

"It's time," said Kakashi-jisan in a _very_ dramatic voice, "to meet your _counterparts_!" Obito, Kakashi-kun, and Rin looked at their new sensei with odd expressions, they were a little freaked out by the eccentricity.

At a lounge in one of the shinobi buildings, Team Minato, Team 7, and their respective families were gathered. Kakashi-jisan lined his students up with his old teammates according to whom they represented.

"I got Obito?" asked Naruto. "Suck it, Sasuke."

The Uchiha glared at his teammate. "I got Kakashi, dobe. You know, the guy who's repeatedly kicked your ass?"

Naruto raised his fist in protest. "That was like, ages ago! I could kick all of your asses now!"

"Yeah right, dobe. You wouldn't even be able to put a scratch on my hitai-ate."

"I'm sorry, but WHO won our last fight, Sasuke-teme?"

"It certainly wasn't you, dobe."

"What was that, teme!"

"I said—"

"WILL YOU TWO SHUP UP ALREADY?" The pink haired kunoichi slammed her fists into her teammates' skulls, sending them hurtling into the wall across the room. She had her fist raised, and she fumed with her nostrils flaring.

Rin looked at her counterpart with absolute fear in her eyes. "A-are you s-sure she's my counterpart, Jisan? There m-must be some s-sort of mistake…"

Sakura immediately calmed down and smiled at Rin. "Sorry for scaring you, Rin-chan. Those idiots just don't know when to quit."

Everyone in the room stared at Sakura in fear, eyes twitching at her sudden personality change. Everyone, that is, except Kakashi-jisan, who kept eye smiling with his masked face.

"S-sakura-c-chan, that was not fair…" croaked Naruto, who was rubbing his head profusely.

"Sakura, why…just…why?" cried Sasuke, who was crouched down, holding his head in pain.

"Ah, teamwork at its finest…" said Kakashi-jisan, his voice highly content.

"These are the legendary ninjas you were talking about, Obito?" asked Yumi, Obito's older sister.

Kakashi-jisan decided to answer for him. "Yup, and the best part _is_…" he paused, trying to add dramatic tension, "…Naruto and Sasuke are still genin."

At that, everyone's jaw hit the floor.

Obito was the first to get over his surprise. "_What? _How? Kakashi made chuunin at _six_, and Rin and I made chuunin at 11!"

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura burst into laughter. "Tch, like we had the most _normal_ and _fair_ testing experience in Konoha history…" snorted Sasuke.

"Looking back on it, it's a wonder we even survived…" said Sakura.

Kushina looked at her son's team in confusion. "What do you guys mean?"

Naruto continued his team's recollection, seeming not to hear his mother's question at all. "Yeah, I mean, how many other genin teams had to fight a frickin' Sannin in the exams…"

"Hey, I had to fight a damn jinchuuriki in the third round…"

"Which _I_ fought against and won because your sorry ass lost…"

"Oh, excuse _me_ for not being able to finish my fight in the middle of a goddamn _invasion_—"

"HOLD ON A SECOND!" yelled Kushina.

They looked at her like she was crazy. "What?" they all asked in unison.

"You fought a _Sannin_ in the exams?"

"Yes," they all replied in unison.

"As I was saying, I would have been promoted if it weren't for that damn invasion…"

"Yeah right, Sasuke. My fight was _way_ better than yours—"

"WAIT!" Kushina yelled again, exacerbated.

"What?" they all asked in unison yet again.

"You fought a _Sannin_ in the exams?" she repeated.

"Yes," they all replied, yet again in unison.

"But yeah, my fi—"

"EXPLAIN!" yelled Kushina.

Sasuke spoke up, a little annoyed. "Jeez, you seem to get all your personality from your mother, Naruto…anyway, we fought Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. Damn pedophile beat the crap out of us and gave me a curse mark. And the bastard burned our scroll! What an ass! And then he had to go and invade the village during _MY_ fight! Was he _trying_ to screw me over?"

"Oh boo-hoo, Sasuke."

"Shut up, dobe! If he had interrupted _your_ fight, _you_ would be even more pissed than _I_ am!"

"Your fight was getting boring anyway."

"WHAT?"

"I'm sorry, _who_ was the one who rescued Sakura?"

"I'm sorry, _who_ was the one who did a fantastic job of _putting her in danger in the first place_?"

"At least I kicked ass while you were busy—"

"SHUT UP YOU TWO!" Sakura again slugged her teammates in the head, though mercifully lighter this time. She switched to her nice side a moment later. "Well, remember that time when you realized the enemy wasn't really Naruto when he said the correct password?"

Sasuke laughed while rubbing his head. "Yeah, I knew 'cause the dobe was too stupid to remember it."

"Oi! See if I bail your sorry asses out of danger next time!"

They all laughed at that and calmed down a few moments later.

"Wow, those were the good old days," said Naruto, his head in the clouds.

"Yeah…" Sasuke and Sakura replied.

Minato stared at his son incredulously. _What...just…what?_

"Sasuke-nii-san got his butt kicked!" Itachi yelled with a huge grin. "Twice!"

The little Uchiha ran up to Sakura, hugging her knees. "Can you teach me to do that, onee-san?"

The room erupted into a laughing fit, though poor little Itachi didn't understand why.

00.000.00

"Alright, today Naruto-sama is going to be teaching you how to perform the most badass jutsu in existence…the RASENGAN!" yelled Naruto, throwing his hands into the air for dramatic effect.

Obito stood in front of his new 'Naruto-sensei,' excited at the prospect of learning the Yondaime's justu. Both Naruto's and Obito's families watched from the sidelines.

"Okay! Sharingan ON!" Naruto ordered, to which Obito complied immediately. "Now, OBSERVE!"

A swirling blue chakra formed in the blond's hand, forming a perfect sphere. Obito stared at the jutsu in awe. "Woah…that's…woah."

Kakashi-kun stared at 'Sasuke-sensei' in shock. "What do you mean, _basic_? The Chidori is an A-rank jutsu that involves complex shape and nature manipulation combined with high speed mov—" Sasuke pointed at a random tree across the training field near Naruto's position, and a streak of chirping lightning shot out from his hand, extending across a couple dozen meters in a few seconds, piercing the tree and breaking Naruto's concentration.

"OI, TEME! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE SHOOTING THAT THING!"

Kakashi-kun's wide-eyed gaze slowly shifted between his sensei, the now-pierced tree two dozen meters away, and back to his sensei.

"That's called the Chidori Eisou."

* * *

A/N: Well? I know it's short, but I'm going for quality over quantity here.

Yeah, Naruto tends to be clueless when involved in certain situations. Remember, this kid was pretty much alone up until his genin team days, and even then, he didn't really get "friends" until later than that. Of course he would be clueless to many things that children with a normal upbringing take for granted. You might have noticed how in the last chapter, Naruto _flinched_ when his father placed his hand on Naruto's head (in the memory). That says a lot about his past, I think.

Until next time!


	14. Never Alone In The First Place

A/N: And so I take the plunge. Well, I'm sorry for this chapter being so late. I was out of town without computer access. Anyway, this chapter was pretty enjoyable to write, and I hope it's even more enjoyable for you guys to read :)

I once again apologize for being inconsistent in my use of Japanese; it's not at all a top priority to get it all straight, but if it really bugs you guys, please let me know.

I was blown away by the number of reviews; I never imagined being past 150 by my 12th Chapter, especially when my first fic was stuck at a meager 9 by Chapter 6.

As per traditon, here are the reviewers for Chapter 12:

cyanbilbo, Houkakyou, Crystalzap, OverLordRevan, TsubasaWitch, 1arigato, ShamaLamaDingDong, Circle of Phoenix, Buffy-CrazyaboutAngel, kaayou, yarra, Shinigami, wind dancer1981, Thousand Tailed Holy FlashFang, Frostius, I'm Smiley-chan, .Alpha, elvesdragon, empire14, 1ryeguy8, THE-complete-zelda-fan, Jamie-LuvsFanfiction, Anton, bakapervert, Icecce.

Wow. Look at it this way, guys: Last chapter alone scored more than TWICE the number of reviews as all six chapters of my first fic combined. Thank you all!

Speaking of my first fic, I'd like to make a note about that. Originally, I wanted to write this story side-by-side with my first fic, They Were Legends, which is a action-heavy Team 7 fic. I took the advice/criticism from that story and improved on it here. This story is actually inspired by imouto12345's "What If?", which is great and I highly recommend it to you all. It has since taken on a life of its own completely, and due to vastly popular demand, I will be working solely on this fic for the time being.

Now for personal responses:

Jamie-LuvsFanfiction: The whole idea is that the time travelers will change things for the better to the best of their ability. In other words, it will become its own story entirely over time.

1ryeguy8: Unfortunately, Sai doesn't really have a place at the moment. Like I've repeatedly mentioned, this story is not outlined. Sai being with the rest of Team 7 during Naruto/Sasuke's fight simply made sense, so he was there. As for the other stuff, I would try to be less extreme in your fandom...there's a wiki for a reason :)

Shinigami: Though not directly mentioned, it is implied that it was seen practically everywhere. Hopefully that will give you an idea as to the nature of the whitish-red light. As for Nagato/Jiraiya and Co., I never forgot about them. In fact, I had something planned for them all along (keikkaku doori). As for Danzo, you can't try the guy for crimes he's technically never committed. You would be forced to punish Nagato, by that same logic.

cyanbilbo: Thank you :) It's reviews like yours that keep me writing like this.

Without further ado...Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 13: Never Alone In The First Place**

The Yellow Flash of Konoha watched his son with pride and joy as Naruto taught his student his original jutsu—the Rasengan. The training method Naruto employed was rather bizarre…water balloons? He recognized the purpose shortly after the explanation, but laughed at his son's antics. It seemed that the blond teen tried to have fun with everything…but more than anything, that only confirmed his earlier fears. He didn't miss what his son had said his dream was as a new genin.

"_My dream…is to become the greatest Hokage ever and make everyone in the village acknowledge my existence!"_

That last part brought chills to his spine when he really thought about it. He was no idiot; he knew that jinchuuriki were often treated very poorly and downright feared by their respective villages. For Naruto, an orphan with the beast that had claimed so many lives sealed inside of him, it must have been bad. The teen's mindscape embodied his treatment and psyche; you could never see the whole picture, it was dark in a creepy way, and the water…

The water was a rather unique characteristic. It wasn't flowing, nor was it raining. It didn't represent some sort of lake or pool. No, once Minato put all of the clues together, the meaning became rather obvious. The whole thing was a sewer with very leaky pipes running along the infinitely long corridors. The water represented the neglect, the lack of care and maintenance, the emotional muck that clouded his mind. Thinking about it made his heart feel heavy and his eyes watery…but when he stared at his son, who cheerfully brought smiles to everyone's faces, his thoughts took a different turn. Naruto had faced hardship and loneliness and come out stronger because of it. He was able to find the good in anything and look past the negatives. For that, he held nothing but admiration and respect for his son.

00.000.00

"You already have great chakra control, Rin, and your medical expertise is quite good for your age. But from what your sensei tells me, Rin, your combat ability is rather lacking. So that's where I'm going to focus my attention and training."

Rin looked at Sakura with anticipation. She'd heard several times that medic-nin were ill-suited for combat, and the few known exceptions were genjutsu experts. Obviously, the woman in front of her had different ideas.

"First, I'm going to teach you how to use your already-excellent control as a weapon. What you'll need to do is gather your chakra into your fist. Then, you need to compress it as tightly as you can, and at the moment of impact, you transfer your compressed chakra out of your fist as quickly as possible. Like so…" She punched rock next to her, which shattered into dozens of fragments. "Now, go ahead and give it a try. You can start against the ground, since it will be much softer. It also helps to yell as you strike."

Following her sensei's instructions to the letter, Rin yelled as she hit the ground, producing a result that surprised her. There were several cracks in the ground, and while it was nowhere near the level she had just seen her sensei perform, it was far better than she had been expecting.

"It seems that you're a natural. With practice, you'll be able to use more chakra per strike and your timing will improve, allowing you to produce a result like this," she said, pointing to the shattered boulder behind her.

00.000.00

Taking a break, they all gathered in the middle of the training ground. Minato decided it was time to get some answers on a matter that had been bugging him since Team Kakashi's outburst earlier. "I'm curious, Naruto, Sasuke—you made it seem as if you only took the Chuunin Exams once, and judging by your current ability, it was probably quite some time ago. Why haven't you taken it since then?"

To his surprise, Naruto and Sasuke's expression immediately darkened and they both looked at the ground. This did not go unnoticed by anyone present.

"We took the Chuunin Exams when we twelve," said Naruto, his face still distant. "Shortly after that, I went on a three year training trip with Ero-sennin."

Sasuke looked at his old friend in surprise. Why hadn't he mentioned his defection?

"That still leaves two years, though, so what happened?" Minato didn't want to leave everything vague.

Naruto sighed before answering. "After that, I never got a chance, and it just didn't matter. It was just one thing after another, and at some point, I just stopped caring. Rank meant nothing when I was fighting people like Nagato anyway."

Minato turned his stare to Sasuke, who knew that he had to come clean. _It might as well be now,_ he thought. "Following the Chuunin Exams, certain…things happened that reawakened feelings that I had only just begun to suppress. I could go on for an hour about why I did it, but I defected from Konoha in search for power. I was…focused solely on power and revenge at that time, and I even went as far as to accept an offer from Orochimaru for power. Three years later, I killed him and searched for my target. Many things happened along the way and after I killed him, including learning about a…truth that changed how I viewed everything. I swore revenge against Konoha, leading Naruto and I to fight about a month ago. Our fight accidentally resulted in us being sent here, and well…I've changed a lot since then. There's no reason for me to go back to my old ways."

_So _this_ was the dark secret they were all avoiding,_ thought Minato. _And I don't blame them. You'd never guess from seeing them interact with each other…_

"That's all behind us now," Sakura spoke up from behind. "We're Team 7 once again, thanks to two idiots who never knew when to quit." Though everyone on Team 7 smiled, everyone else looked at the trio, confused. How could such treason be forgotten?

"Oh yeah, I can't believe I forgot to ask…" All eyes turned to the blond teen. "Who'd you take the Chuunin Exams with when you passed, Sakura?"

She smiled as a nostalgic look plastered across her face. "Kiba and Hinata…_so_ much easier to work with. Even if Kiba smelled terrible the whole time. You'd think with his sense of smell, he'd notice, but…" They all chuckled at the memory.

"Kiba…" Naruto looked up at the sky bittersweetly. "He never did get a rematch with me…"

"Maybe you will, someday." Naruto looked at his pink-haired teammate, perplexed, but understood her meaning after some thought. Kiba may not exist in the same way, but there _could_ still be a relationship. Who knows, maybe he'd even be his jounin sensei? _Now THAT is a scary thought._

00.000.00

Sakura entered the Hokage's office with Rin. She'd given it a lot of consideration, but it was the least she could do for her future-sensei.

"You wanted to see me, Sakura-san?" asked Minato.

She struck a formal pose, which Rin copied. "Yes. I'd like to take Rin with me on an extended mission."

The Yondaime's eyebrow raised at that. He became more relaxed, leaning on the front of his desk with his arms crossed. "And what kind of extended mission would that be?"

Sakura thought about it for a moment before deciding on something all too appropriate. "Search and Rescue." Tsunade was quite capable of defending herself, but she was definitely lost and in great need of an emotional rescue…something she would provide no matter what.

"For whom?"

"Tsunade." The name was enough for the Yondaime's expression to change to surprise and concern immediately.

"How? Even if you find her, she doesn't want to return. Trust me, we've tried."

She smiled at him. "Your son managed to pull off that particular miracle when he was 13. As her student for several years, I hope I can manage to do the same."

Understanding crossed his face. "You do realize that you could be gone a long time."

"Yes, I do. Which is why I came to ask permission to take Rin with me; I want to train her all the while."

Minato sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I see no problems. Just take good care of yourselves, and be sure not to be gone too long. I wish you the best of luck; you're going to need it."

00.000.00

"You're _what?_"

"I'm going on an extended mission and training trip with Sakura-sensei."

"But…" Obito pouted, his thoughts becoming obvious to everyone around him.

Rin placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him a big smile. "Don't worry, Obito-kun. I'll be fine, and I won't be gone too long." Obito froze under her touch and visibly blushed at her use of the honorific at the end of his name.

Kakashi-kun stepped out of his casual pose to say goodbye to his teammate. "Take care of yourself, Rin."

"I will."

Kakashi-jisan walked up and whispered into her ear. "Rin…whatever you do, don't pick up her attitude. She still scares practically everyone she comes across." Rin nodded, her expression knowingly fearful.

"You know, Sakura, this seems oddly familiar…" said Naruto, his face full of mischief.

Sakura returned his smile. "Yeah, except in reverse. You kept your promise after all...and so here's mine. I'm going to bring her back, no matter what."

They said their other goodbyes before heading out. As they waved to the departing pair, Kakashi-jisan casually spoke to Naruto.

"You know, Naruto, I think it's time."

The teen in question turned to look at his sensei in confusion. "Time for what, sensei?"

"Timeskip no jutsu."

"Timeskip no _what_—"

00.000.00

_-One Year Later-_

"I've always wondered what Konoha looked like."

"I always pictured it hot and desolate, considering it was in the Land of Fire…but it's the exact opposite."

"And you're supposed to on a diplomatic mission? Who put you in charge?"

"I seem to recall that you did."

Laughter erupted from the trio. "We're almost there, you three. Any last questions before we enter the village?"

"Who's the current Hokage?"

"Well, it _has_ been more than a year since I left, but last time I checked, it was my sensei, Sarutobi Hiruzen."

Nagato looked at his sensei in disbelief. "Your _sensei_ is the Hokage?"

"Yup. He's a good natured man who loves peace. You'll have no trouble talking to him, Yahiko. Or should I say, 'Amekage?'"

Yahiko looked at the ground, still embarrassed to be addressed by his formal title. "I don't understand why you think I deserve such a position, sensei."

Jiraiya looked at his student with a serious face. "A leader isn't someone who rules because he or she is strong…a leader is someone who rules because the people _want_ him to. You have led your people to peace and a better life, and they have put their hopes into you. Power has nothing to do with it."

They walked in silence for a while, contemplating his words. "Are we going to meet your future student, sensei?"

The Toad Sage grinned at the question. "Indeed we are."

00.000.00

_Chidori!_

_Rasengan!_

A clash of chakra and elements blew both fighters back into the dirt. As they climbed out of the ground, their sensei walked up to them to begin their lecture. "How many times do we have to tell you?" yelled Naruto, who was comically frustrated. "Those techniques are equal! You'll just end up throwing yourselves into the dirt _every time_!"

Obito rubbed the back of his head with a stupid grin plastered all over his face. "Yeah, but it's _fun!_"

Sasuke facepalmed. "I swear, Naruto, he's getting more and more like you, right down to the stupidity."

"WHAT WAS THAT, TEME?"

"And deafness too, apparently."

Naruto yelled as he formed a Rasengan in his hands and charged at Sasuke, who formed a Chidori to counter. The jutsu collided, sending the pair hurtling into the dirt. Kakashi-kun looked at his teammate. "Are you kidding me?"

"Shouldn't a sensei lead by example?" asked a confused Obito.

The sensei climbed out of their mini-craters and went back to their original positions, completely calm. "Dammit, _when_ are we going to stop doing that?" asked the blond knucklehead.

An ANBU flickered next to them. "Hokage-sama has summoned you, Namikaze-san and Uchiha-san."

"Alright," answered Sasuke, "we'll be right there."

00.000.00

Jiraiya had been a combination of flabbergasted and overjoyed when he learned that his _student_ had become his _sensei's_ successor. The reunion was a happy one, but Minato's jaw dropped when he spotted the Ame trio. Throughout the meeting, Minato never took his eyes off Yahiko and Nagato and always hesitated when replying to anything they said. Finding this incredibly odd, Jiraiya asked for a moment alone with his student, but Minato ordered several people to be summoned before he could ask.

Within a couple minutes, Naruto and Sasuke entered the office casually. "Hey, Da—" he stopped dead in his tracks as he spotted the guests. Like his father, Naruto's jaw dropped right along with Sasuke's. Unlike his father, Naruto quickly gave a genuine smile. "Ah, Nagato, Yahiko, Konan…it's good to see you."

Confused as to why this stranger knew all of their names, Nagato spoke up. "You know who we are?"

"'Course I do. You _did_ deliver my message, right, Ero-sennin?"

Connecting the dots, the trio's eyes went wide. "Y-you're sensei's future student!" Yahiko exclaimed, pointing his finger at his subject.

"Yup. So, what brings you guys here?" asked Naruto.

The new arrivals took their seats to hear the answer. "Well," began Yahiko, "Jiraiya-sensei approached us about a year ago, giving us a warning and a message. Knowing about Hanzo's trap, we ambushed his trap instead, and managed to kill him and all of his close supporters, who were part of the ambush. Without Hanzo's iron-grip rule through fear, Ame shinobi were quick to rally around our peace movement. Since I was the leader of that movement, they kind of appointed me leader of Amegakure soon after."

Jiraiya smirked, full of pride as his student recalled his story. Naruto, however, smiled out of relief and nostalgia. _This,_ thought Naruto,_ this is the way it was supposed to be._

No longer hesitant, Minato joyfully offered his hand in an alliance between Ame and Konoha, and within the day, a treaty had been written and signed. Hiruzen joined them for the process of forming the treaty and was equally astonished by the current events.

After the long meeting, Jiraiya pulled Naruto aside to get answers for the questions he had had all day. "Naruto…how exactly do you know them? And why did everyone look at them like they had seen ghosts?"

The blond looked at his sensei hesitantly. "I know them because I've fought them in a time when they became very different people. I think tomorrow would be a good time to visit the memory room…you, me, and them. It should be…eye-opening."

00.000.00

"Awake at last, Asumi-chan," cooed Kushina. Picking her daughter up from the crib, she walked downstairs. A knock resounded from the door. "Just in time to see your father and brother!"

Opening the door, she was greeted by the grinning faces of her family. She pouted, feigning anger. "You're _late_, Namikaze."

Minato threw himself at her, embracing his daughter and wife while kissing the latter. Naruto looked upon his family with a huge foxy grin. His new younger sister, Asumi, carried her mother's blood-red hair but bore her father's deep blue eyes. The past year had been surreal for him, but in a good way—seeing his mother through her pregnancy while spending time with his family brought a slew of experiences he would forever cherish. He recalled the day his sister was born…

"_You're even worse than Kakashi-kun, Naruto." The blond in question scoffed at his mother, but looked at his baby sister in wonder. She was so small, like she would break if he just held her. _

_Both Kakashi's smiled at the moment. This time,they noted, there wasn't a nine tailed demon coming to rain down destruction upon everyone, and the Namikaze family was elated. "Go ahead, Naruto, you won't break her. Besides, I'm sure Minato-sensei would catch her should you drop her."_

_He seemed terrified at the mere thought of dropping his sister and froze. "Honestly, Naruto, you've pulled off MUCH harder things than holding a baby. Take her, it's okay," said Kushina._

_Slowly and fearfully, he took his sister from his mother's arms. She was so light; was he really this small at one point? After getting over his initial shock and wonder, he smiled brightly at his sister. This was _him_, he realized. Who he could have been. Who he _wished_ he could have been. "I'm going to protect you, imouto. I'll always be there for you, I promise you that. And I always keep my promises." His parents beamed at the moment, for the first time feeling like a complete family. _

"_I think we should let Kushina rest for a while. She definitely needs it," said Minato. Her labor had been long and intense, and she was barely awake as it was. As the Kakashi's, Hinata, Sasuke, and Obito cleared the room, Kushina passed out from exhaustion. Her husband kissed her forehead and turned to his children. "Thank you, Naruto."_

_The teen looked up at him questioningly. "What for?"_

"_If it hadn't been for you, this moment would have been very, very different…as you know all too well."_

_Naruto nodded, his expression uncharacteristically solemn. But as he looked down at his sister, his smile returned. For some reason, he no longer felt alone in the world. It was as if by having a sibling, he was never alone in the first place._

00.000.00

"Ready?"

The blond menace looked up threateningly, but her pink-haired companion ignored the glare. "Good. Then we'll head out right now." Tsunade didn't say a word, but began keeping pace with her.

Several hours into the trip, Sakura noticed her sensei's growing unease as they neared Konoha. "Don't worry," she said, "it won't be as bad as you think it will. There are a lot of people who will be happy to see you." Finding the Legendary Sucker had been rather easy, but helping her had been another problem entirely. The woman was deeply affected by the losses of her brother and lover, and the way in which it happened made it unbearable. It was not the quantity of loss, Sakura realized, but the quality of it that determined how much of an impact it had. Over the course of a year, she had slowly helped Tsunade overcome her grief and hemophobia while connecting her back with her village. She revealed her true background shortly after their first meeting, which she was able to prove by a handwritten note by the Sandaime Hokage himself.

Rin walked side by side with Shizune, someone she had grown close to over the past year. Shizune had become something of an aunt to her, and advised her in all sorts of matters, from training to romance. When she left, an odd dilemma had presented itself. She previously had a crush on her stoic, silver haired teammate, but everything changed on that mission to destroy the bridge. She vowed to make the most of her time with her teammates after learning of their demise, especially Obito's. In the weeks following that mission, she had begun to see him in a different light. Rin idly wondered if that had anything to do with no longer living in the stress-fest of war and destruction. In peacetime, the strength and steady personality Kakashi offered wasn't nearly as appealing as Obito's fun loving nature. Remembering Kakashi-jisan's hints, she considered the possibility of _them_ as a couple, and with Shizune's guidance, she was eager to try it out upon her return.

Which, apparently, was not very far off.

* * *

A/N: Yes, I did the timeskip I've been talking about for a while. And yes, I just broke the fourth wall.

I think I'm forgetting something...oh well.

EDIT: Now I remember, at least one of the things. "Asumi" literally means "beautiful tomorrow". I thought it was particularly fitting.

And I'm going to be taking a few liberties with the timeline, since it's very unclear (even Minato/Kushina's age is not known) and I'm trying to make everything work.

Until next time!


	15. Home

A/N: Update Date - 7/10/10. This chapter was very interesting to write, and the second half was just downright _fun_ to write.

I REALLY appreciate the reviews you guys have given me. Even the criticism; that's helped me and I'm very glad you took the time to critique my work. After all, it's the fastest way to improve.

Also, I've heard from an anonymous reviewer that placing responses to reviews here is against the Terms of Service...but I don't recall seeing that, and it isn't at all mentioned in the guidelines that you have to agree to to publish stuff. If you could point that rule out to me, I'd greatly appreciate it and fix my supposed error.

But unfortunately, I will be stopping my tradition of listing the usernames of each reviewer from last chapter in the next one, for a few reasons. One: It's not exactly fair or inclusive to the people who are just starting the story and review earlier chapters. Two: It takes space, which might be against the Terms of Service. Once I get that clarified, I might change my mind. Three: It also takes a while :p

Personal Responses:

Zashire: Thanks for all of the reviews and advice. Yeah, the explanations, especially about the time traveler (and family) status were definitely the hardest parts to write because they felt repetitive and...well, what _do_ you say in a situation like that? It's so surreal that a likely dialogue escapes my imagination. And I don't mind writing action scenes, and I think I'm pretty decent with them, but this story never was about action, so it can get in the way of what I want to write here.

Icealeena: Glad you like it, thanks for the reviews :)

ShamaLamaDingDong: Good question. Logically, it's pretty much impossible for any of the Konoha 12 to be genetically identical to their canon counterparts. That said, I can make them so similar that it won't matter (I plead creative freedom and necessity), except in specific cases, like with Asumi. You'll see.

The Epitome of Eccentricity: Yes, yes you do. And I'm taking hours of my time to write this, so is 15 seconds so much to ask for in return?

Shinigami: Gaara's sealing was pretty much explained in the same chapter where Naruto reveals his true identity to the Kazekage. Basically, assume they kept their word and performed a safe sealing after Gaara was born. Logically, Yashamaru is not hell bent on revenge since no one died.

OverLordRevan: In canon, yes. But I planned out some events for this story before Chapters 499-501, and I had to change some things to fit my story.

FYI: See above; I've never heard of that rule, and I can't find the Terms of Service (unless you're talking about the Guidelines, which don't mention that supposed rule). Still, thank you for bringing that to my attention. As for the other stuff...I apologize. I'm still trying to improve, and I've made things progress "by the speed of plot" out of my desire to move on to the real purpose of this story. Hopefully it will get better from here on out.

baltz00: Grammar and punctuation are your friends. Use them. Please. But thank you for the review :)

Crystalzap: In a way, there will be. Stay tuned.

yarra: "Don't even think about using auto-fire, or I'll know." (If you can tell me where that quote is from, I'll write a chapter just for you).

* * *

**Chapter 14: Home**

Naruto ate his breakfast with a grin as he watched his parents play with his two month old sister. She was tied right up there with Hinata for cutest thing in the world in his mind, and he couldn't be happier. But seeing the scene in front of him made him realize that he would have to really start planning how to ensure that his family, along with many others, would not be destroyed by the Kyuubi attack. Strong as he may be, one cannot simply _kill_ a bijuu; let alone the most powerful one of them all. He had control over most of the Kyuubi's chakra, but using it effectively was still quite difficult for him. And trying to balance the demonic chakra with sage mode and everything else was like a juggling act with a thousand razor blades—even if you succeed, you're still going to end up cut in a thousand places.

_But first thing's first,_ he decided. _I have an appointment to keep._

00.000.00

Staring at her baby sister, Hinata was faced with a conflict that tore at her very being—would Hanabi eventually replace her namesake, or could she keep the two siblings separate? When her mother was picking out names for the baby with her father, Hinata suggested the name Hanabi, to be named after—she made that part very clear—her younger sister that now only existed in her memory. Her parents agreed, finding it a way of tying the family further together.

Hanabi was still far too young to tell what she would look like, but Hinata knew for sure that her sister would not grow up in the cold and harsh environment she had and would always have someone to help her in any way possible.

00.000.00

"You're here, good. I believe you're all wondering exactly how I know you three," Naruto said as he looked at each of the Ame trio in turn, "and I'm here to answer those questions. We're in what's called the memory room…" Naruto went on to explain its function and purpose before initiating the seals. He hadn't used it much in the past year, and neither had his teammates, for they had all agreed upon building a foundation of happy moments before exposing their families to the often very depressing ones of their lives. His parents had at one point asked him if they could see memories of his childhood, but he had quickly refused—something they definitely picked up on. In all likelihood, he would _never_ show them memories of his childhood, for it would certainly break their hearts. The hints they received made them visibly upset, but he tried to focus on the present rather than the past. Even with a loving family now, thinking back on those years of lonely hell still hurt in ways he couldn't express. Finally, the surroundings of the room faded to a cold, dark sewer.

Entering Naruto's mindscape, Jiraiya and his students took a look around."This is your mind?" asked Nagato. It was downright creepy, especially with the greenish lighting.

"My mindscape, yeah. Before we dive into my memories, there are many things I need to explain. You know that I'm from the future?" They nodded. "What you don't know is that I'm the Kyuubi jinchuuriki of my time, which is about 17 years into the future." He looked at his guests warily. "In those 17 years, a lot happened. The Kyuubi, under the control of Uchiha Madara, attacked Konoha on the day I was born. My father, the Yondaime Hokage, sacrificed himself to seal the Kyuubi no Youko within me." His gaze then turned to Yahiko. "You died in that ambush, starting a series of events that would lead _you_ two," he said, now looking at Konan and Nagato, "down a very dark path. You took on the alias of 'Pain', Nagato, and attacked Konoha. I know you three because I've fought you. I learned your story from Nagato, whom I watched die. That's how I knew about Tiny. That's how I knew about the ambush. That's why my father and some others were shocked to see you…because they saw the same memories I'm about to show you."

He waited a minute for that information to sink in. Nagato seemed to be reacting the worst of the four, due to the fact that he was the center of whatever Naruto was about to show them. A hazy fog enveloped the group, changing the scenery to a small apartment.

_I woke up groggily, face down on my pillow. Sensing a familiar presence, I turned my head to see Kakashi-sensei standing outside the window. "Ka…Kakashi-sensei?"_

"_The Godaime wants to see you. Get ready immediately."_

_We walked towards the tower, where I spotted Gamabunta and Gamakichi. After a short exchange, we went on to the office and entered. In the room, aside from Tsunade and Shizune, were Sakura, Sai, and several toads. The small, elderly one looked at me intently. "So this is Jiraiya-chan's student, eh?"_

"_Yes," replied Tsunade. "This is Uzumaki Naruto…he's the 'child of prophecy' you talked about._

"_Are you one of the old man's frogs? What's going on?" I asked, confused._

"_Watch your language, Naruto! This is Fukasaku, one of the two great sages of Myobokuzan. He's come all this way to speak with you."_

_Now I was _really_ confused. What could a little old frog want with me?_

"_Actually, I'm one of the two great sage frogs…but more importantly, there's no doubt you're Jiraiya-chan's student, now, is there?"_

"_Jiraiya-_chan_? Chan? Why're you treating Ero-sennin like a kid! Just who the hell are you, you old frog?"_

_Tsunade let her temper show yet again. "I said watch your language! This is Jiraiya's teacher, the one who taught him his sage techniques."_

_Instead of taking offense at the insult, Fukasaku erupted in laughter. "Ero-sennin! That fits Jiraiya to a T."_

"_What's that old sage want with me?" I asked. This whole meeting just felt…weird._

_Fukasaku looked down, all semblance of laughter gone. "Where should I begin…well, I guess I'd better start with this…" He looked at me intensely. "Jiraiya-chan died in battle."_

_I froze. I did _not_ just hear that. How could he have died? He was the strongest shinobi I'd ever seen, second only to the Yondaime himself! What… "…huh? Wh…what're you talking about…?"_

"_His throat was crushed in battle by Pain. Jiraiya-chan left me this message as he fell. This is it…" Fukasaku lifted off his cloak, revealing the random series of numbers engraved on his back. "No doubt he did it so Pain wouldn't realize. This is all that's left of him."_

_Only many years of hard practice allowed me to remain composed. The man who was the closest thing to family I'd ever had…_

_I was hurting on the inside with a pain that was indescribable. But I wouldn't sit in a corner and cry like I did for my whole childhood. I did what I had grown used to doing with my grief over the years…channeling it into anger. "Did you send him?" I asked, venom hinting out of my voice._

"…_I did."_

_My calm façade broke. "Why did you let him go?" I shouted, barely containing my rage. "You know how he is! How could you send him into danger all alone?"_

_Kakashi stopped my rant in its tracks. "Stop it, Naruto…you must know how she feels."_

_I turned to storm out of the office. "Damn it!" _

"_Naruto! Where are you going?" Sakura yelled after me._

_My hand was on the doorknob, shaking. "If Ero-sennin had been made Godaime Hokage, then he wouldn't have forced Tsunade to do this…I know it…"_

The fog receded, revealing completely white surroundings. Nagato's expression screamed shock, while Jiraiya looked uneasy. Understandable in both cases, given that Jiraiya had just found out that he had died in the future, at the hands of his _student_, no less.

"That…can't be…I would never…" Nagato stammered in disbelief. It simply made no sense, how could he possibly bring himself to kill the man he looked up to as something like an uncle?

"Surprised?" asked Naruto. "Like I said, you became a very different person after Yahiko's death. Years of war and loss changed you. When Jiraiya-sensei stood in the way of your plans, you killed him without hesitation." Knowing that Nagato was reeling, Naruto tried to comfort him. "You shouldn't look at these memories thinking, 'I'm going to become that,' or, 'I'm going to do that.' Look at them knowing what _could_ have happened. I know you're a good person, Nagato. I hope that you'll see that, even when you view the next memory."

Jiraiya, despite his uneasiness with the recent revelations, was overjoyed to see his teammate not only back in Konoha, but as Hokage. It was very fitting, he decided, especially given the dreams of Dan and Nawaki. But after that, he became immensely curious; how could Nagato have changed so much after Yahiko's death as to kill his own sensei?

Naruto knew that showing them the memory of Pain's invasion would be very hard to take in, but he was determined to go ahead with it anyway. They _needed_ to see this. In the same way that Team Minato and his family needed to see the night of the Kyuubi attack, Jiraiya and his students needed to know what it would have been like to lose everything, so that they would always cherish what they had. So that…it would never happen again.

00.000.00

Nagato was nothing short of horrified. Horrified at what his future self had done, horrified at his use of Yahiko's body, and horrified of what his future self _looked_ like: a half-dead, barely human cripple. His only relief came from his future self's dying actions…perhaps he didn't become a complete monster after all. But it was beyond surreal…it was like seeing a monster that merely resembled him. Could he really…have become that? The thought made him shudder.

"You don't have to get all depressed, you know." The red head looked up at Naruto. "I showed you this so you would know what _could_ have happened. A _lot_ of bad things could have happened. I could have become a revenge-driven psycho, but I didn't. And now, hopefully, you won't become what you just saw. That said…there were some good things you could take out of all this."

"What do you mean?" asked Nagato. What good could possibly come from a hellish vision of a possible future?

"You were powerful as hell. I think it'd be pretty cool to see you in action…you know, when you're not trying to kill me and everyone I care about. Especially that jutsu at the end…you _revived the dead_. And from what Konan said, it seems like you could do that without killing yourself…as long as you aren't exhausted beforehand." Naruto pointed at his head. "Think about it."

"You read my book?" asked the Toad Sage.

"Hm?" The blond's expression turned to amused curiosity. "Of course I did. It's where my name comes from, after all."

Jiraiya smiled, having now realized that his book _had_ changed a lot.

00.000.00

Walking through downtown Konoha, Naruto headed for a place that used to hold nothing but bad memories for him: the Konoha Orphanage. The building was roughly the same…but everything else was different. There were no glares or cold shoulders; virtually everyone smiled at him as he walked by. It was such a contrast to his instincts and memories that he almost didn't trust it…or any of them, for that matter. He always gave people another chance, but he rarely trusted anyone. It had been ingrained into his psyche throughout his entire childhood. Far, far too often his trust had been betrayed in cruel ways. And nowhere was that more prevalent in his mind than his current destination.

Despite his misgivings, Naruto mandated to himself that he would visit the orphanage often to help out the children who were in some ways just like him…alone, feeling lost and without a place where you belonged.

He volunteered on his off hours, often to entertain the kids with his crazy antics (juggling with ten shadow clones tends to amuse kids greatly, he soon found out). Sometimes, though, he would talk to them on a personal level. After a few weeks of frequent visits, the head caretaker asked him to talk about himself in front of many of the older kids in the orphanage. Obviously, he was very uneasy about that, since even if he could tell the truth about his past it would be far too dark to tell. So instead, he settled on teaching his personal philosophy to them, which had been honed through years of experience and lessons learned the hard way.

"I used to be an orphan, just like all of you guys," he said, smiling. "I grew up without any family and had to do and learn a lot of things on my own. But I learned some things along the way, and I want to share that with you." He walked along the front row of kids, he were raptly paying attention. "One of the most important things I learned was that home isn't a comfy building or where you live. Home is where people think of you. Remember that—because if you aren't adopted by a family, you have to learn how to deal with that loneliness. When you make friends, you get a place where you belong. Where you feel safe and liked is where you should stay. Be nice to everyone, make as many friends as possible, and one day, you will not feel alone anymore. You all came from somewhere, from people who loved you. If you try hard enough, you can _make_ yourself a home. You can _make_ a place where you belong."

That was how his first speech went, and judging from their reactions, it went very well. Over the following weeks, he saw many of the kids take his advice to heart, and some of them even came up to ask him more questions—which he happily answered.

Several weeks later, he had another talk with the kids. "Just because you're an orphan doesn't mean you can't be somebody important. Did you guys know the Yondaime Hokage, the leader of the village, was an orphan too?" He tried to inspire them. He knew exactly what to say, and the kids reacted extremely well to that. All he had to do was speak from the heart—he simply recalled what he had felt as an orphan, and imparted his hard-earned wisdom to assuage their fears.

For that, he could always smile. It was almost as if, by helping these children in ways he had needed help when he was in their position, he was healing himself.

Exiting the orphanage at lunchtime, Naruto was jumped by a joyous bundle of energy he had long since known as Hinata. "Want to grab some lunch at my house, Naruto-kun? My mother and I just finished cooking something new that we want to try out. We need an…_expert_ opinion."

Naruto turned around in his girlfriend's arms, smiling as he kissed her. "Sounds great." They had been growing closer over the past year, even to the point where Naruto no longer had any uneasiness when around her family. To his surprise, the Hyuuga, Uchiha, Hatake, Tatsushiro, Haruno, and Namikaze families were becoming something of an extended family of its own. Several times, they had all had a big group dinner or even had a friendly spar, which produced some of the most fun experiences any of them had ever had.

The first one in particular brought a wide smile to his face whenever he thought about it.

_-Three months earlier-_

Standing at a large, open training ground, the extended family stood around, watching the show. All able-bodied ninja present were in the clearing, waiting for the spar to begin. Everyone else, including a pregnant Kushina, Mikoto, and Hitomi, stood by on the sidelines cheering their husbands and children on.

"Okay!" shouted Kakashi-jisan. "The teams will be as follows!" Naruto was giddy with anticipation; he was actually quite similar to Lee when it came to enthusiasm for spars. "Everyone versus Naruto and Minato-sensei!" The two named shinobi stood there blinking for several moments before they suddenly had Obito, both Kakashi's, Sasuke, Fugaku, Hiashi, Hinata, and Yumi charging at them with grins on their faces. Minato, quick on his feet, flashed over to his son's side before grabbing him and flashing to a safe distance fifty meters away.

"Any plans, Naruto?"

The blond teen struck his classic thinking pose for a few moments before lighting up. "Got it!" As his son whispered his plan into his ear, Minato's lips gradually moved upwards into a bigger and bigger smile.

"Oh, your mother will _love_ this one."

Hinata spotted her boyfriend right away with her Byakugan, but when she saw the Yellow Flash grin like an idiot as Naruto whispered into his ear. Knowing her boyfriend well, she quickly surmised that something _very bad_ was about to happen.

Suddenly, two thousand shadow clones leapt from the trees they were hiding in and unfurled a scroll that each of them held. Expecting a hail of kunai and shuriken, she prepared for a Kaiten…only something far more sinister rained from the scrolls above.

_Water balloons._ Only Hinata, Kakashi-jisan, and Sasuke, who were quite familiar with Naruto's pranking style, were in any way prepared as the balloons blocked out the sun and peppered the group. Hinata performed her Kaiten and was saved from the torrent of water, but Kakashi-jisan wasn't nearly as lucky. He possessed no such complete defense, and was sopping wet. Sasuke, however, shocked nearly everyone by forming a Susano'o to shield himself from the prank. "Your pitiful attacks can't penetrate my ultimate defense, Naruto!" he yelled, obviously trying for laughs more than anything.

But she should have known better; she should have known that Naruto was a pranking legend who never left a plan so simple. The two thousand clones chucked their Hiraishin kunai into the grass near the group and dispelled. Before she could react, the _two_ Yellow Flashes filled her vision as they chucked water balloons at her and Sasuke mercilessly. Sasuke, who had failed to notice that a Hiraishin seal had already been placed by his feet, had his laugh of triumph cut off by a dozen water balloons to the face. Naruto and Minato instantly appeared in the middle of the clearing, gripping their sides as they laughed their asses off. Almost immediately, everyone on the sidelines joined in, shortly followed by the humiliated—and sopping wet—opposing team.

_-Present Time-_

00.000.00

The Yondaime Hokage watched his clock with intense scrutiny. In the back of his mind, he knew that watching the seconds tick by only made everything seem slower, but he grin slowly grew as he watched the second hand near the twelve. _Finally, lunchtime._ In less than a second, he was back home, admiring his wife and baby daughter.

Kushina heard his entrance, looked at the clock, and laughed. "Punctual as always, Minato-kun." She placed her daughter in a large sling, holding her with one arm as she offered her other hand to her husband. "Shall we?"

00.000.00

Seeing the dumbfounded looks on the gate guards' faces was a fantastic start for her return home, Sakura decided. They headed for the Hokage's office first, but found it empty, so decided to take a more scenic route around town. Sakura decided to show Tsunade her team's old training ground, which she quickly recognized as _her_ team's old training ground, too. Before they could comment on the coincidence, a teenage boy went flying towards them, followed shortly after by another silver haired teenage boy, landing with their backs towards the group.

"Damn it, Kakashi, I _told you_ it wouldn't work! He's a Kage level jounin with decades of experience up his belt! We should have gone with my plan instead!" Obito pointed heatedly at his teammate while fuming.

The silver-haired boy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like stealing that book of his would help us at all! And what did you think a _paint-filled balloon_ was going to do? Make him laugh to death?"

"At least I managed to hit him with it! Your attack just got us thrown across the clearing!"

"You two haven't changed one bit." The arguing shinobi snapped their heads to see their teammate smiling at them.

"Rin-chan!" yelled Obito. "You're back!"

Kakashi-kun's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly broke into a warm smile. "It's great to have you back, Rin."

Kakashi-jisan casually strolled out of the clearing, book in hand, though his face deceived his body language. He was out for blood…_no one_ gets _paint_ on his now _priceless_ Icha Icha Tactics, especially considering it was the _only one in existence_. "YOU TWO!"

Kakashi-kun and Obito shuddered in fear as Kakashi-jisan approached them. To Rin's amusement, they audibly gulped as he stepped right into their faces. "Do you two have _any_ idea how valuable this is? It's the _last_ one in existence! I brought it all the way from the _future_! And you just got PAINT on it!"He turned to the rest of the group with a sudden, classic eye smile. "It's great to see you again, Rin, Sakura, Shizune, Tsunade-sama."

Sakura casually strolled up to Obito and Kakashi-kun. "If I were you," she said with a creepy smile and overly friendly tone, "I'd run as fast as my little legs could carry me, and then beg for mercy with puppy-dog eyes. Of course, you'd still get your asses kicked, so I'd hide behind Rin-chan and Tsunade-sama for now."

Fearing for her teammates' lives, Rin quickly stepped forward. "I believe it's been a while, Jisan. Care for a spar?" she asked, fiery determination in her eyes.

Now intrigued, Kakashi-jisan temporarily put aside his anger in place of amusement. "Sure. Think you can make them work as a team again?" he asked.

She eyed her teammates with a spirited, determined look in her eyes that they were not at all accustomed to seeing. "I'll beat some sense into them if I have to," she said, lightly punching her fist into the open palm of her other hand.

Obito and Kakashi-kun audibly gulped once again.


	16. The Reason Why

A/N: Update Date - 7/11/10.

Short chapter, I know. But it was a good place to leave off. Next one will be longer.

First off, special shout out to yarra and his **Evil Overlord List**, which is NOT a fanfic; it's a list of what every cliche villain always does wrong. And it's hilarious, so go read it. Linky: http: /tvtropes .org/pmwiki/pmwiki .php/Main/ EvilOverlordList (Just go to TVTropes and search for it. Trust me, it's worth your time. TVTropes is one of my favorite sites ever).

Personal Responses:

PaintedAme: Thanks :)

Crystalzap: Two? Sakura already WAS one. As for Rin, she hasn't become one of them, but I've kinda failed to convey that. She's basically the old Rin with a stronger personality and more determination. But she's still kind and won't go psycho violent at her teammates' antics. As for what Naruto's going to do...you'll see.

DrgnDrake: Yup. No outline whatsoever. None. It's a huge challenge in and of itself, but it's fun. Basically, with every new chapter, I sit down and think, "Well, what do I want to write in this chapter?" Then I take a look at last chapter to make sure I don't screw up any continuity stuff, and write whatever I feel like.

Shinigami: Sasuke WAS born a few months earlier than Naruto. Just to clarify. But REMEMBER, things have changed. No one is going to have the same birthday.

Richasa: Yeah, that moment was pretty fun to write for me.

Tainted Laurels: Yes. Asumi was born much earlier than Naruto; he made SURE of that. He didn't want a repeat of his birth happening.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 15: The Reason Why**

"I'll beat some sense into them if I have to," Rin said as she punched her open palm.

Kakashi sighed, closing his eyes as he shook his head. "Don't tell me we have another Sakura and Tsunade."

Rin lept forward, throwing a hard punch at his face. Kakashi-jisan was far, far beyond such a meager surprise attack, for he had purposefully used his statement as a lure. As he opened his eyes, however, he saw that the Rin jumping at him had irregular chakra patterns.

_Genjutsu_. Knowing the likely follow up, he jumped clear just as the ground beneath him shattered. _This seems oddly familiar._

Obito and Kakashi-kun looked at their teammate in shock. _Since when could she do something like _that_?_ they both thought.

Rin turned to her team. "Well, are you going to help me or not?"

It took another ten seconds for the boys to get out of their shock and join in.

00.000.00

"Is that Sakumo's kid?" asked Tsunade. "He's from the future too?"

Sakura nodded. "You just saw the Kakashi of the future and present. The older one could even beat you."

The Slug Princess scoffed at that. "I'm not kidding," Sakura stated matter-of-factly. "He was nearly made Rokudaime Hokage."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Nearly?"

"You woke up from your coma right before he was appointed."

Now she was _very_ curious. "Coma?"

"Long story." Another earth-shaking pound was heard. "Why don't we go see if we can find the others? Rin-chan seems to be doing just fine on her own."

00.000.00

Minato and Kushina managed to have enough time for a quick lunch before Asumi began crying up a storm. Quickly paying the bill, Minato used his Hiraishin technique to instantly transport them home.

"Is she hungry?" he asked. Kushina smelled her diaper before backing her nose away quite quickly. "I'll take that as a no." They both chuckled for a moment before a knock resounded at the door. "I'll get it. You can go ahead and change her diaper."

Pulling the door open, Minato was greeted by quite a surprise. "T-Tsunade-sama! Sakura-san! You're back!" Hesitating a moment, he glanced around at the third visitor before asking the obvious. "Where's Rin?"

Sakura laughed as she leaned on the doorway. "Shocking your students, no doubt."

He tilted his head, now curious. "Which ones?"

She looked at him in the eye with an all-knowing smirk. "All of them."

Minato replied with a short laugh of his own. "I'm sorry, I'm Namikaze Minato. Whom might you be?" he asked, looking at Shizune.

"Shizune…it's an honor to meet you." Minato dully noted that between the three, she seemed the least likely to shatter something with her fist if you pushed the wrong button.

"Well, come in and make yourselves at home. We've got a lot to talk about," he said as he gestured inside.

They entered the house and seated themselves at the table. Sakura spoke first. "We found Tsunade-sama and Shizune-san quickly…the reason we were gone so long was, well, the obvious. Tsunade-sama has been through a lot in her life, and helping her through that has taken some time."

Minato nodded sagely. "I completely understand. What do you want to do, Tsunade-sama? I'm not going to force you to do anything, it's entirely up to you."

She looked down a moment, thinking. "I suppose I should help out at the hospital. Sakura seems to have the training thing covered."

Shizune smiled. "Sakura-san has done a great job with Rin-san, she's grown so much in the past year."

He looked at Sakura warily. _Don't tell me she gave Rin her quirks, too…_ "I look forward to seeing tha—"

"TSUNADE-SENSEI?"

The woman in question turned around with her mouth and eyes agape. "_Kushina_? What are you—" She looked at the baby in her arms, then at Minato, and back at Kushina. "You—the kid—with _him?_" she asked, flabbergasted. "Then—you two—"

"Yes, we're married and that's our daughter, Asumi." Minato had been in plenty of situations where someone was trying to deal with an overwhelming revelation, and by this time he was quite experienced in dealing with them.

Tsunade continued looking back and forth between Kushina, Asumi, and Minato for several seconds before gathering her wits. "You actually ended up marrying him? And you have a kid…wow…"

Kushina strolled over to her old friend. "Sensei, I'd like you to meet Asumi-chan," she cooed. Tsunade examined the baby with fascination.

"I'm home!" Everyone turned their heads to the doorway as a blond teen walked through the door. "Man, Hinata-chan should consider opening her own restaurant when she gets olde—" he stopped dead in his tracks, mouth hanging open midsentence as he just realized who was _also_ home. "BAA-CHAN?"

In return, Tsunade merely raised an eyebrow before turning to Minato. "Who's the kid? And why the hell is he calling me that?"

The Yellow Flash merely rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Tsunade-sama, this is my son from the future, Naruto. As for why he's calling you that…" He looked up at his son, eyebrow raised. "…I have no idea."

Naruto reacted as if he hadn't heard a word they'd said. "What the hell, Sakura? You were gone a _year!_ It only took me a month! And you didn't even have to deal with a perv stopping by at every bar and hot spring along the way! And don't tell me you've turned Rin into _another_ one of you, too!"

Veins bulged on Sakura's forehead. "What exactly do you mean, _another one of us_?"

Reeling in fear, Naruto tried to get himself out of the ditch he had just dug himself into. "N-n-n-nothing, Sakura-chan!"

Before Sakura could retort, Tsunade turned to Minato once again. "What the hell is he talking about?"

"I'm just as lost as you…do _you_ have any idea what he's talking about, Sakura-san?"

The pink-haired kunoichi sighed, placing her elbows on the table as she massaged her temples. "After the Chuunin Exams we told you about, Hokage-sama, the Sandaime Hokage was killed by Orochimaru during the Sound Invasion, so Naruto left with Jiraiya-sama to find you and offer you the position of Godaime Hokage. Apparently there was a battle between all three of the Sannin, with Naruto involved, and something made you change your mind and you decided to accept the offer. The whole thing took a month, more or less. That's what he's talking about. As for why he's calling you Baa-chan, well…erm…you two were pretty close, and Naruto never was much for respect."

Everyone present except Naruto just blinked in response. "_What?_" asked Tsunade.

"Hiruzen-sama was _killed by Orochimaru_?" asked a bewildered Minato.

Naruto drooped his head. "Yeah…he died to save the village. But that's what the job is, isn't it?" His tone was definitely more depressed than usual, Sakura noted. It sounded particularly…_bitter_, she realized.

Minato and Kushina stared at their son in shock. "_Naruto_…" chided Kushina, disbelieving that her son could say something so insensitive.

To her surprise, he looked up from the ground and right at her and Minato with sad but angry eyes. "I'll be in my room," he said, walking away with a frown while leaving a stunned group at the table.

He sat at his desk, staring at the half-done seals in front of him. _It's not good enough_, he thought as he examined one of his projects. _None of them are._ He worked furiously into the night, not even realizing that he had fallen asleep over his work.

00.000.00

"**You really don't get it, do you?"**

Opening his eyes, Naruto awoke to greenish yellow walls adorned with leaky pipes. _Well, guess I haven't actually awoken at all._ "What do you mean?"

The Kyuubi approached the teen, sticking its head over him with amused curiosity. **"Your father used the most powerful sealing technique known to man to seal me within you without actually defeating me. It cost him his life; what do you think you could possibly achieve by looking into seals?"**

The blond sat up, slightly agitated. "Because I'm looking for a way for my parents to seal your past self without killing themselves in the process. I'm not going to lose them again. I'd die before that happened."

A snort was the curt reply**. "Like I said, they can't possibly seal me without losing their lives in the process. I am the most powerful bijuu there is, you know that full well. Seals alone cannot defeat me."**

Determination returned to his eye. "Which is exactly why _I'm_ going to defeat your past self first; that way, it won't require a sacrifice."

The giant fox lowered its snout into Naruto's face. "**I don't think you understand, kit. You can't even successfully control **_**half**_** of my chakra. Trying to use all of my power while in sage mode is far beyond your current level. That Hachibi jinchuuriki trained for decades even after he gained access to his bijuu's chakra to get to the level you saw. "**

"Then I'll train harder."

"**You **_**still**_** don't understand! The Hachibi has far less chakra than I do; the power of the tailed beasts grows exponentially with the number of tails. You can't use your shadow clones this time; they'll dispel from the damage right away. And **_**you're**_** trying to combine all of that with sage mode! Even if you trained hard all **_**year**_** it wouldn't be enough."**

Naruto slumped down, defeated. "Then I guess it's going to come down to _that_, then." He gave a painful sigh. "So I'll spend what time I have left as best I can."

Taken completely aback, the Kyuubi lifted its head, shock plastered all over its face. ** "You're **_**giving up**_**? Is this some kind of joke?"**

He looked up at his tenant, angry. "I'm not _giving up_, furball. I'm just going with the only option _you_ say I have."

"**Shiki Fuujin? You're really going to go that far? You'll die in the process…but I'll just be sealed into her along with my past self. Is that what you want?"**

The blond stood up and looked at his old companion in the eye. "I want my parents to live more than _I_ want to live. My sister will _not_ grow up an orphan like me. If that's what it takes, then I'll die with a smile on my face."

Naruto saw his tenant do something he'd never even dreamed of…it looked at him, its head tilted to the side…_confused_. **"You'd rather die than let your father take your place?" **

And then Naruto understood. The Kyuubi was a demon that had lived for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. It didn't understand the meaning of selfless sacrifice. "Of course. I don't even belong in this time. I owe my parents my life. It's time I repaid that debt. Besides…I promised myself that I'd never let my precious people die. And I don't go back on my word."

Gears were turning in the fox's mind. **"I thought you humans cared about your own survival." **It was in disbelief, he realized. The Kyuubi had heard his answer—but didn't understand it.

"I stopped caring about that a long time ago. I'd give my life to save any of my friends without hesitation." The blond drooped his head, snorting with a heavy heart. "And it looks like that's exactly what I'm going to do in a few months." Naruto turned around, slowly walking out of the room. The Kyuubi watched him go in silence.

"You know," he said, pausing at the doorway, "I would never have lived this long if it weren't for you. Nor would have I been able to make it back in time to save everyone…so…thank you. You've been with me from the very beginning, through thick and thin. I…" He paused, unable to find the words for his feelings. "…thanks."

The Kyuubi felt things he'd never felt before as the blond teen left the room. Was it…sadness? Regret? It couldn't tell…but it'd have plenty of time to figure it out.

* * *

A/N: Who said this story couldn't get dark? And no, I am not "above" killing characters. If I want them to, they will die. End of story.

On that cheery note, please let me know what you think! (Yarra, just wait, trust me...)


	17. The Path We Make For Ourselves

A/N: Update Date - 7/11/10. Now, I know what you're thinking. "Last chapter was short and he promised that this one would be longer, not SHORTER!" I know.

So here's what. Next chapter will be LONG. Why? Because it's the goddamn Kyuubi attack. Satisfied?

I understand that the story seems to be taking a darker turn. While it won't _stay_ that way, keep in mind that all good stories have ups and downs.

Shoutout to Yarra, the whole first scene is for you :) (and coincidentally, it actually ended up working very well for the story).

Sora Nadeshiko: Certainly an interesting idea, though not what I have planned.

.Alpha: Am I? Perhaps I will. Perhaps I won't. Perhaps I'll take a third option. Perhaps I'll quote TVTropes again!

HatchetChu: Trust me, I know what you're going through. Imouto12345 had me saying the exact same thing when reading his "What If?" fic. I'm going to take a different route this time, though. All I can say is: Please keep reading until the end, you won't regret it.

SolBird: I don't know what fanfiction you've been reading, but that's certainly not how it went. Danzo had nothing to do with the Kyuubi attack. Nor would he have anything to gain from helping it happen.

Zashire: Don't you dare :( Naru's been through enough as is. So help me god, if you kill off either of Naru's parents, I will stop reading right then and there.

1ryeguy8: A good idea, but once again, not what I have planned. Normally, I'm wide open to suggestions, but this part is something I really want to do a certain way.

Ironically, I'm still deciding whether or not I'm actually going to kill him off. You know, no outline or real plans whatsoever. Funny thing. I will listen to good ideas, though, if they work with what I already have in mind.

* * *

**Chapter 16: The Path We Make For Ourselves**

Naruto walked down the streets of Konoha, lost in thought. If he was going to die, he could take solace in the facts that it would mean something, and that his family and friends would be safe because of his sacrifice. _Isn't that what they all felt?_ he mused as he stared off at the Hokage Monument in the distance.

Sighing through his nose, Naruto almost didn't see Sakura walking along the intersection…with _a__ kid_? She didn't do much babysitting outside of the babies of the Konoha 12 generation, so what—

And then he noticed something _else_. The little girl's hair was _pink_. It couldn't have been her sister, he surmised, because the girl was at least a couple years old. So why…

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto turned to see his girlfriend shouting from just behind him. Smiling, he waited for her to take his hand…but she kept going. She didn't even look at him. _What's going on?_

He watched Hinata walk right up to his teammate, each sporting large grins. Deciding to investigate, he walked over to the pair. "Hinata-chan, Sakura, what's…" He trailed off, now _very_ confused. They were ignoring him…

"GUYS!" he yelled, swinging his hands in front of their faces. Still unable to get their attention, Naruto placed his hand on Hinata's shoulder…only for it to pass right through her. Startled, Naruto jumped back and looked at his hands in shock. "Wha…" He tried again, with the same results.

"…it's almost the anniversary…" Naruto looked at Sakura, only now paying attention to their conversation.

"…I know…" Hinata whispered in reply. She waited for several moments before speaking up again. "I'll be at the memorial stone if you need me."

Deciding to just go with the situation, Naruto followed her until she stopped at the stone he had long since known as Kakashi's favorite place. Hinata walked over to the stone slowly before dropping to her knees. Naruto moved in closer, but was stunned to see tears silently falling out of her eyes. "Naruto-kun…" she whispered. For a moment, he thought she had finally realized his presence, but what she said next stopped that train of thought cold. "...your sister took her first steps today. She fell down what must have been a couple dozen times…but she kept getting back up to try again. She's just like you…you would have been proud."

Naruto stood there in detached surprise. Part of his mind was reeling at what she was saying, but the other part of him needed to take in every word.

"…I can't wait until she's older…I'll be able to tell her all about you. No doubt she'll adopt your nindo…in a way, she already has…"

A tear fell from his eye as he understood her meaning. "…she's looking more and more like your mother each day. She's got some of her personality, too…I could almost imagine you treating her to ramen after she passes the genin exam and you plowing through thirty bowls…" She took a sharp, pained breath. "I'll be sure to treat her that day, I promise. And I never go back on my word." Hinata futilely tried to wipe away the tears before continuing. "She's like a sister to me. She's already calling me nee-san…" She began weeping, barely able to speak. "…I'll take care of her, I'll—I'll make sure she knows all about you."

After several minutes of pained weeping, she stood up. "I'll be back soon, Naruto-kun. I love you…"She turned walking past Naruto with an expression that made him want to embrace her right there…but he knew he couldn't.

"**Kit."** Naruto turned around to see a miniature Kyuubi that he instantly recognized as his four tailed form…except with nine tails flailing behind the beast.

"Furball? What's going on?"

"**Three…two…one…" **

"Naruto!" He jumped out of his chair in surprise, falling backwards onto the floor. Looking up, he saw the concerned face of his mother staring down at him. "Why were you sleeping at your desk? And what's with all of these seals? Honey, you can't overwork yourself like this. It isn't healthy." She bent down and helped him up. "Are you alright?"

He only hesitated for a moment before assuring her that he was, but his mother knew him better than that. "Naruto…you can tell me. Please…"

"Just a bad dream. I need a little walk, that's all." He hated lying through his teeth, but he couldn't bear to look his parents in the eye and tell them that he was going to die for their sakes in a few months.

She was hardly satisfied by the answer, but decided to give him a little space.

Naruto walked down the streets, his head stooped. He only had a few months left. Less, actually…he would make the most of it. Snorting in amusement, he realized that having a few months to spend time with one's loved ones before dying was a blessing that almost no shinobi ever received.

00.000.00

Uchiha Madara sat upon his lonely throne, contemplating his plan. He'd gone over it many, many times over the months, but now he had to make some changes. Konoha was not nearly as weak as he had been hoping after the last war, and he'd heard _interesting_ rumors about there being _two_ Yellow Flashes. Leaving nothing to chance, he settled on the best option: backup.

In only a few months' time, he would finally have his revenge. Konoha would be utterly destroyed on the same day that he had been driven out of it by that bastard Senju Hashirama, and he would laugh as it burned to the ground. The Will of Fire would burn brightly before it was extinguished completely.

00.000.00

Naruto woke up to the smell of cooked eggs. Glancing at the clock, he groaned as it reached eight. No, he was definitely _not_ a morning person. A nagging feeling returned to the forefront of his mind as he looked at the calendar. _October 9__th__._ His last day alive.

He'd already prepared everything well in advance: letters addressed to all of his friends and family, including letters for his sister and any other potential siblings when they were old enough to read them, and he'd spent a lot of quality time with everyone. So today wasn't about spending his last moments trying to have one last laugh with his family and friends, or one last kiss with his love. Today was the day he would look back at everything he'd done over his life, everything that he had experienced.

After a nice breakfast with his family, he took a stroll along a familiar route he had taken many times over the past year. As he passed the smiling citizens, he wondered how they'd feel after the attack. But his thoughts drifted to another direction…was he doing it for them? If his family and friends were not in danger, would he give up his life for all of their sake? The same villagers who, in his time, made his life a living hell for holding the beast they hated at bay, despite having no say in the matter. The caretakers at the orphanage who ensured that he was alone in every way possible so no one would ever ask him to play with them except to crush his feeble hopes. The same villagers who denied him service, deceived him, or overpriced him for shitty goods. The same villagers whom he saved time and time again.

And an hour past midnight, he would save their lives once more, this time at the expense of his own. But as he looked at the cheerful people lost in the busy activity of the shops and talk, he couldn't help but come to the conclusion that he _was_ doing it for them. Even if they hated him, ruined his life, and spit on his parents' sacrifice, he couldn't let them die so that he could live. They deserved better. He could die happily knowing that they would continue smiling years down the road…that they would be able to live out the happy life that he had been denied from the day of his birth.

He could live with that. That was just who he was, he guessed. Willing to give up his life for the sake of others. Willing to bear hatred and adversity to make people feel better. Willing to give another chance to those who were beyond redemption in the eyes of everyone else. Only a past like his could have resulted in him being who he was, he realized. Had he grown up with a happy family like a normal kid, he wouldn't have given Sasuke another chance at the Valley of the End. He wouldn't have even tried talking to Pain instead of killing him right away. He wouldn't have been able to deal with the pain of facing one's death and still go through with it.

Wandering towards the Hokage Tower, he passed by a place he cherished in his memories: Ichiraku Ramen. In his early years, this place had been his only happy place. Teuchi and Ayame…they were the first people who were openly nice to him. Continuing his walk, he visited the academy and its roof where he first became part of Team 7. Where he made his dream known to his teammates. He sat against the same log he had been tied to during their team's first test, where one of his favorite memories took place. Turning around to look at the memorial stone, he recalled the memory with bitter irony.

_I guess I really am going to get my name put on there for sure…Kakashi-sensei._

Reaching the top of the Hokage Monument, he looked out over the whole village from atop his father's head. He used to come here a lot as a kid. It was both comforting and appealing to him at the time, because the Yondaime Hokage was his hero, his idol. Who he aspired to be. Thinking back on it, it was almost cruel that he had been as close as possible to his father then and never even knew it. He could go back in time and change everything, but he couldn't change what had happened to _him_. He couldn't relive his life, his childhood, with a happy family. He could change the world around him, but he could never change _himself_. This was his fate. His destiny. Except this time, he wasn't thrown into the situation, nor was it prophesied since his birth. He chose his own destiny. He chose to give his friends and family happy lives, at the expense of his own. This was the life he had chosen, the path he had made for himself, the same sacrifice that many a person had made on his behalf.

He sat there, staring out at the horizon as it grew dark. It was time.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter, Kyuubi attack. And it will be LONG. And EPIC. And stuff.

Let me know what you think!


	18. I Don't Go Back On My Word

A/N: Update Date - 7/12/10

**READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE:** **This is NOT the last chapter of the story.** Even if it were, I have a sequel planned. I'll let you know all about it here when the time comes.

I hope I satisfied you guys with this chapter. I'm no writing god or even a professional, so excuse me if I use some fridge logic to further my story. That said, read every bit, because otherwise you will miss some key explanation or event.

Now for personal responses:

Zashire: Well just don't kill off either of her parents. Understand? :p And no, I don't mind, I'll be glad to help you out.

empire14: Next day soon enough for you?

SilverRedBlossom331: Thanks :)

Smiley-sama: There are at least two more chapters left in this story. And a sequel is on the way. Stay tuned.

Anake14: Thank you :) Though I do beseech you to review for at least this and the last chapter. I worked hard on them.

baltz00: While you certainly could write a successful chapter with those ideas, I'm trying to do something original here, which means mirroring the Pain Invasion is not an option. Plus Nagato/Konan/Yahiko have a country to run, they aren't here. Even if they were, Nagato is too young to be able to resurrect the dead. That's canon.

Shinigami: He does realize that his possible death would be painful for his family and friends, but it's pretty much ingrained in his psyche to sacrifice himself for others. He has very little self worth, and when someone he cares about is in danger, there's no question who's life is more important to him.

1ryeguy8: All I can say is read this story until the end (this is NOT the last chapter), I won't just leave it at this, and I hope you'll be satisfied at the end.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 17: I Don't Go Back On My Word**

A deep breath. Fire, demonic chakra, _fear_. Another breath. Anticipation, excitement, uncertainty. Naruto opened his toad-like eyes to stare out upon the past version of the beast that resided in his belly. This was the day…the day he was born, the day his life was ruined, the day his family was destroyed, and the day that he remembered as Konoha's direst hour. The day his parents sacrificed their lives to save his.

The beginning of the end. The beginning of _his_ end.

The citizens had already been evacuated, as had most of the shinobi. Rin, Obito, and Kakashi-kun had insisted upon fighting, but a stern look from Kakashi-jisan forced them into compliance. His meaning was obvious: 'I will not lose you all a second time.' Standing alongside him were his parents, his sensei, the remaining Sannin, Hiruzen, Shima and Fukasaku, his teammates, his love, and a small force of Konoha's best jounin. Asumi, the girl who would have the Kyuubi sealed into her, was safe inside of a bunker which both he and his father could access at a moment's notice through Hirashin. He looked out at the Kyuubi, knowing that he was definitely going to die this night. _Was this what my father felt?_ he mused. _Was this what he was going through the night he died? I think I finally understand…Dad._

He turned to look at them. "Leave the Kyuubi to me. When I'm fighting it, you guys will just get in the way. Once I've weakened it, Kushina will move in to restrain it while she, Jiraiya, Minato and I will seal it into Asumi. Sasuke, Kakashi, and the rest of the jounin will fight Madara. Any questions?"

No one raised their hands. Naruto walked over to his parents. "In case I don't make it…" Kushina cut him off right there.

"You're _going_ to make it, baka. We're all here to help. It'll be fine." He couldn't deny the fire in her eyes. He knew right away that she would make the sacrifice in his place without hesitation…which is exactly why he couldn't tell her or anyone else about his plans.

"Still…if I don't make it, I want you to know…I love you. I don't blame you for anything. Remember me with a smile on your face. Can you do that for me?" he asked.

Minato, sensing Naruto's emotional need, nudged his wife before she could assure him that he would _not_ be dying tonight. "We will, Naruto. We love you too."

After a short but close embrace, Naruto continued down to Hinata. There was no need for words at this point. They simply held each other, smiling as they looked into each other's eyes. With a final kiss, he moved on to his team. "Do me a favor, Sasuke, Sakura?"

They nodded. "Kick Madara's ass for me, will ya?"

Sasuke smirked and snorted. "With pleasure, dobe. Be sure to do the same for the Kyuubi. And Naruto?" The blond looked at his old friend with a tilted head. "Don't you dare die on me. It would piss me off."

Naruto managed to mentally pull himself together enough to laugh off his demand. He knew how death affected people. He knew exactly what it was like to lose the people that you love. But he could bear the guilt of causing them that pain, knowing that in return they'd all be safe. "Well," he said, turning to face his tenant's counterpart, "I guess it's time. Shima! Fukasaku! Tsunade!"

The toad sages lept over the wall, summoning three giant toads that Naruto was very familiar with: Gamahiro, Gamabunta, and Gamaken. Tsunade followed suit by summoning Katsuya, her longtime companion. The plan had been well rehearsed and discussed beforehand. Naruto's Kyuubi actually lent some advice along the way, telling them that techniques like Amaterasu and Susano'o would not bring him down, for many reasons. He also warned Sasuke that trying to use his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to control his past self wouldn't work so long as Madara maintained his control. In the end, Naruto decided to leave the Uchiha to their respective battle while he dealt with his old friend.

Leaping on to their respective summons, the team went out to meet the enemy.

00.000.00

Almost immediately, Naruto knew something was wrong. As he raced towards the Kyuubi, a man he recognized blocked his path. Blue skin, shark-like appearance, and a giant bandage-wrapped word slung over his shoulder. "Hoshigake Kisame."

The man laughed in return. "You know me? I'm flattered. Though I'm afraid I can't let you pass."

Though Kisame was distinctly younger, Naruto knew that this would be a fight he couldn't afford. Luckily for him, someone else was thinking along the same lines. "Go on ahead, Naruto. I'll take him down."

Turning to face his mother, protest stopped at his throat when he saw the look in her eye. "Okay. That guy's sword absorbs chakra like crazy, and he specializes in water based jutsu. He has a ton of chakra. Be careful."

Flashing through a series of seals, chakra chains flew out of Kushina's hands as she attacked the nuke-nin. "Go, Naruto!"

Not waiting a moment longer, he sped towards the fight of his life. Nearing the Kyuubi, he now realized just how large the beast truly was. It was almost enough to make him scared. Almost.

"COME HERE, YOU BASTARD!"

00.000.00

Having encountered a similar problem, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Minato confronted Madara while the other jounin engaged the nuke-nin Madara had coerced or hired for the occasion.

They found him casually walking towards them, but staring at the Kyuubi as it began its rampage. "Magnificent, isn't it? Such power, malice, and _eminence_ all wrapped into one ferocious being. A demon of destruction." He turned to look at them, Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan staring into their souls. "And it's all at my fingertips."

Sasuke stepped forward. "Madara." The word came out as a curse, like the name was a disease. "You made me into an avenger. You massacred my clan, destroyed my family, and ruined my brother's life. It's taken me a long time and many mistakes to understand who I should direct my hatred towards, but now I know. MADARA!" he yelled, his own Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan coming to bear. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

00.000.00

Dodging a swipe of one of its tails, Naruto leapt up from beneath the Kyuubi's head, uppercutting it with a Rasengan twenty times his own size. Before the beast could recover, Naruto formed a clone as a platform to jump off of, and formed another two clones at his side. Now in the air above the Kyuubi's head, he created two Rasenshurikens and hurled them at the beast's neck. The impact and resulting explosions were enormous, but Naruto knew just how tough the Kyuubi could be. The first clone he had formed followed up with a giant Rasengan uppercut, just as he had done before.

Before falling, Naruto created fifty more clones, whom each sported a giant Rasengan of their own and initiated a non-stop barrage of swirling chakra balls.

Feeling his sage mode running out, he quickly dispelled one of his backup clones and the natural energy returned. The Kyuubi was reeling, but was by no means significantly wounded. It shook its head and then stared at him with pure hatred in its eyes.

Its roar shook him to the bone. Not wanting to let his fear get the better of him, he charged forward to continue his assault.

00.000.00

Had Minato not been renowned as the fastest shinobi in the world, he would not have been able to dodge the black flames that shot out at him without warning. Sasuke and Kakashi took this cue to jump into action. Sasuke immediately unleashed Amaterasu of his own, forcing Madara to counter, drawing his attention away from Minato, who aimed to deliver a quick backstab.

Just as he plunged the kunai into his heart, he felt his hand phase through the shinobi, and instantly Hiraishin'd to safety. Kakashi unleashed a lighting-based hound on the Uchiha, who burned it down with more black flames. Madara locked his eye with Kakashi's, and the two became enveloped in a world of surreal surroundings.

"I think it's time you experience the true power of the Sharingan, you Uchiha-wanna-be." Thousands of swords formed around Kakashi from all directions, and began to descend on the silver haired jounin.

"Not this time!" He activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, which spun furiously to counter. The swords stopped, but the illusion was not yet broken.

Sasuke noticed the situation right away and struck his target with Amaterasu. Madara howled in pain, but he quickly phased out of the flames, appearing relatively unscathed.

Madara lept into the air, grabbing the large fan off of his back and swinging it down after blowing a giant fireball out of his mask. The inferno heading towards Kakashi was as intense as it was enormous, but Sasuke acted quickly, leaping in front of his sensei and activating a Susano'o to counter.

"Thanks for the assist, Sasuke," said a panting Kakashi.

Minato flickered next to the group. "What now?" he asked.

"I think my Kamui might be able to give us an opportunity to strike him, but the window will be very small. Can you aim for that?"

Minato and Sasuke nodded. "Good, but you better get it right. I've only got three shots left."

00.000.00

_Damn it!_ He had just dispersed another of his clones, leaving only one left as the natural energy once again filled him. Even if he had unlimited natural energy, he knew, it would be too exhausting to fight at this level for long. Even _he_ had his limits.

The Kyuubi roared as it slammed its fist into the ground where Naruto had been standing a moment prior. It seemed to be waiting for this, however, and shot a stream of intense fire out of its mouth. Before he could try to dodge, huge water bullets slammed into the fire, cancelling it out. Naruto glanced behind him to see Gamabunta and Gamahiro joining the fight.

They charged into battle, swords drawn, but were forced to dodge constantly. Naruto knew that he and Sasuke were quite literally the only ones capable of going on the offensive against the Kyuubi, but the distraction was proving helpful. He leapt above the Kyuubi's head, forming a Rasengan fifty times his own size. The beast's eyes widened in surprise before he slammed the swirling ball of chakra straight onto the fox's head, sending it crashing into the ground. Smiling with satisfaction, he allowed a hole to open at the end of the Rasengan that was in the fox's face, causing the chakra to explode directly at the Kyuubi's head.

_Now's my chance!_ Naruto formed a shadow clone before weaving the seals for the Shiki Fuujin. Before he could finish, the Kyuubi slammed its fist into the ground, getting backup with a look of fury that frightened even him. It certainly looked worse for wear, but not weak by any stretch of imagination. _Shit._

The toads moved in once again to try and distract the beast, but the Kyuubi swatted them aside with its tails. _Looks like I'll have to go all out!_

00.000.00

Obito stood atop the Hokage Monument with his teammates and many of Konoha's citizens as the unbelievable battle raged out in front of them. He had known that his sensei was powerful, but _this_…this was beyond his wildest imagination. And as his friends would attest to, he had a _pretty_ wild imagination. The Kyuubi itself was terrifying, a seemingly unstoppable force of malice and chakra. But Naruto and his toad summons continued to battle it with incredible power and scale. He idly wondered if he would be showing this to someone through the memory room from _his_ perspective, many years later. As another blue explosion racked the forest, Obito could only stare in wonder.

00.000.00

After hurling four more Rasenshuriken at the beast's head, Naruto was forced to use his last clone, entering sage mode for the final time. There was no holding back now; he would have to go all or nothing. He leapt into the air along with two shadow clones and began to form his ultimate technique. Beginning as a Rasenshuriken, he then added Kyuubi chakra en masse and piled on water element into the technique; the result was a giant—fifty times his own size—red Rasengan with an enourmous whitish-blue elemental chakra shuriken rapidly spinning around the ball.

"EAT THIS YOU BASTARD!"

He could only maintain the technique for a matter of seconds, so he quickly slammed it straight into the fox's face and then directed it to explode all over the beast. The explosion was colossal, and it threw both the Kyuubi and Naruto flying back—the Kyuubi into a nearby mountain and Naruto into the village wall. His impact formed a small crater as he fell down to the forest below.

His body was hurting all over, both from the extreme strain he was putting on it and the sudden collision. Grunting in pain as he stood up he quickly found some high ground to survey if he had put the Kyuubi down for the count so he could finally perform the Shiki Fuujin.

But out of the rubble of the once-mountain came the beast once again. Blood triclked down its head and neck, and it looked very much worse for wear…but it wasn't enough. The beast slowly began walking back towards Konoha. _Damn it! DAMN IT! I can't even weaken it enough to perform the Shiki Fuujin myself!_ He needed _something_. He was exhausted; he had used more chakra and power than he ever had in one go, and his body was aching from the strain. His own chakra reserves were getting low. _Damn it! What do I do? What is the answer?_

"_You have to find the answer yourself. I don't know the answer."_

His eyes widened a fraction.

"_But that's not fair! If you and Ero-sennin couldn't find the answer, then how can I? I'm stupid! And I'm not a good ninja! And—"_

"_You will find the answer. I believe in you…"_

Naruto gasped in realization.

"_The reason I sealed the fox's chakra into you is because I believe you can use it…because you're my son. And there's another reason, too. When the fox attacked the village 16 years ago, I realized something. There was a man, a powerful shinobi who was controlling the fox. Without some kind of special power, there would be no way to defeat him…"_

The epiphany hit him like a ton of cold bricks. _Of course_. Some kind of special power. His father had hoped that Naruto would hold the trump card to defeat Madara by being the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. And here it was. Everything became clear.

Retreating into his mindscape, Naruto went straight into the fox's room.

"**Kit? I thought you had a fight to finish."**

He looked up at his tenant, gloomy but determined. "I can't beat him. I've tried everything I've got, and it's not enough. But…there is another way."

The fox looked down at its host, perplexed. **"I thought you already considered every possibility."**

"Everything except one. We're going to defeat your past self with _all_ of your power."

"**I thought we went over this already! You can't even effectively control **_**half**_** of my chakra! What makes you think you can control **_**all**_** of it? Especially in the state you're in!"**

The blond paused, smirking to himself. "_I'm_ not going to use it. _You_ are."

The Kyuubi's head lurched in understanding. **"You're going to release the seal?"**

"Yes. Your past self is already weakened, so you shouldn't have too much trouble."

Its tone softened, teetering on disbelief and confusion. **"But you'll die!"**

At that, Naruto actually laughed. "Isn't that already set in stone? I came to terms with that a while ago."

The beast almost seemed…_panicked_ now. **"And what makes you think that I won't turn around and finish what my past self started! Huh? You can't be that stupid! So WHY?"**

"Because you're my friend."

It reeled back, stunned. It had _never_, at _any_ point, ever thought of hearing someone say that to _him_. He was the most powerful of the bijuu! A demon whose legends brought nightmares to children and adults alike! How could a human _possibly_ consider him a friend? But the gears were already spinning in the fox's mind. The strange feelings it had been getting over the past few months…was this somehow related?

"If you do this for me…if you defeat your past self so that my family can seal it into my sister, and you leave Konoha alone…then you're free to go without any regrets. Any debt you owed me or anything like that…you can leave it all behind. You'll have earned your freedom for sure. Please…"

The Kyuubi looked at its host, for once too puzzled to think of anything to say. Strange emotions welled up from its gut as it looked down on its host…who was offering to set it free in exchange for protecting his village just this once. And his host trusted him, knowing that he would die in the process, because he was the boy's _friend_? There had to be another reason…there had to be…

_"I want my parents to live more than __I__ want to live. My sister will __not__ grow up an orphan like me. If that's what it takes, then I'll die with a smile on my face."_

"_**You'd rather die than let your father take your place?"**_

_"Of course. I don't even belong in this time. I owe my parents my life. It's time I repaid that debt. Besides…I promised myself that I'd never let my precious people die. And I don't go back on my word." _

_**"I thought you humans cared about your own survival."**_

_"I stopped caring about that a long time ago. I'd give my life to save any of my friends without hesitation. And it looks like that's exactly what I'm going to do in a few months."_

So the boy had planned this all along? He was so desperate to save those he cared about that he held his own life as unimportant? The kit really _trusted_ him?

_"You know," he said, pausing at the doorway, "I would never have lived this long if it weren't for you. Nor would have I been able to make it back in time to save everyone…so…thank you. You've been with me from the very beginning, through thick and thin. I…" He paused, unable to find the words for his feelings. "…thanks."_

He did. He _trusted_ him. Normally, the Kyuubi would laugh at such naivety and take advantage immediately…but this was different. It wasn't trust out of stupidity or idealism. It was…earned. There was an understanding. There was…_actual_ trust. Naruto lived by keeping one's word, and for him to trust a demon known for exploiting it…knowing him full well and yet still believing that he would be true to his word…for some reason the beast couldn't fathom, such an action _meant_ something to him. For the first time in a long time, the Kyuubi felt _something_, a sense of purpose that existed beyond his own needs. And it…_liked_ it. **"Very well. You…have my word."**

Naruto looked up at his tenant, momentarily surprised, but smiled bittersweetly. "Well, I guess this is it." He lifted up his shirt, revealing his seal. His palm glowed white as his hand hovered over the markings. "It's been a pleasure…really, it has. Goodbye, furball."

The Kyuubi bittersweetly smiled back at him. **"Goodbye, kit."**

Naruto turned the seal, fully opening it. A torrent of chakra rushed out of his body, blinding his vision in red.

00.000.00

Madara slammed his palms into the ground as dozens of large spikes protruded from the dirt, nearly impaling Kakashi and Minato. Sasuke swung the sword of his Susano at the traitorous Uchiha, who allowed it to phase through him.

Sasuke quickly followed up by shooting arrows from the bow mounted in his Susano's arm, which passed harmlessly through Madara…yet again. _Damn it! He won't let Kakashi get a shot off!_

A massive release of demonic chakra stopped all actions and thought as every combatant turned to look at its source: the mass of chakra quickly formed into a _second_ Kyuubi. Kushina looked on in shock as the beast stood up on its hind legs and roared. Having been briefed in detail about jinchuuriki, everyone realized that Naruto must have established a high enough level of control to fully transform and fight. "Kick its ass, Naruto!" shouted Kushina._  
_

"Im-impossible!" shouted Madara. "_Two_ Kyuubi's? What is the meaning of this?"

Kakashi took his chance, firing off a Kamui as Minato flickered behind Madara with a kunai. Madara was far too experienced to fall for such a blunder, however, and slammed Minato's face with his elbow while dodging the blow.

00.000.00

The Kyuubi felt _alive_. After 18 years, he was finally _free_! Landing on all fours, he saw his counterpart approaching him maliciously. Undoubtedly still under Madara's control. _Madara…that bastard._ He was the reason the beast was sealed away in the first place. Remembering his part of the deal, he looked back at his dying host with a pang of sadness. Naruto met his eyes…and smiled. And he smiled back.

It was high time to kick some ass. The Kyuubi rushed forward, swiping his past self in the face. The beast howled in pain before growling back, settling into a defensive position. Deciding to go on the offensive once more, the fox swiped at its counterpart with its tails, spinning around him and grabbing his counterpart by the neck. He swung the younger fox all the way over its head before slamming it back down to the ground, making a small earthquake felt by all of Konoha's citizens.

But it wasn't done. He kept his hold and swung it around in a circle before throwing it into another mountain. The younger beast scampered out of the rubble, bleeding profusely and absolutely pissed. It held its head up to the sky with its tails pointing towards its mouth. A giant black ball of menacing chakra began to form, _four times the size_ of the Kyuubi itself.

00.000.00

Sasuke looked at the ball in absolute horror. Personal experience with the Hachibi told him that a menacing chakra ball the size of his head would be enough to nearly level half the village. A ball a hundred times larger…

There would be _nothing_ left.

00.000.00

Obito stared at the scene before him with his Sharingan. He could _see_ the nature of that chakra ball. Something like that… "Oh Kami…"

00.000.00

The future Kyuubi snorted in amusement at his counterpart's actions. _So you're going with that, eh?_ He copied his past self's pose, forming his own menacing chakra ball equally large. _If that's how you're going to play it!_ The two blasts collided, sending out a titanic blast of whitish-red light…

00.000.00

Masaru, the Yondaime Kazekage, stood on his balcony with his wife, Karura, and their newest son, Gaara. Admiring the sight of his wife carrying his son, the new Ichibi jinchuuriki, he was reminded of the great debt he owed that time-traveling blond. Placing an arm around Karura's shoulders, he viewed the brilliant night sky from one of Suna's highest points, which he repeatedly boasted as the best view in the world.

The moment was broken when a bright whitish-red light shone on the horizon in the direction of the Land of Fire, startling even the Kazekage. "What's that?" his wife whispered, fearful.

"I have no idea…but it almost seems…demonic…"

00.000.00

Killer Bee stood out on night watch with his partner, Nii Yugito. Their plight as fellow jinchuuriki helped them forge a very strong bond from an early age. When a bright, whitish-red light appeared on the horizon in the direction of the Land of Fire, they turned to each other, knowing exactly what it was.

"If that can be seen from all the way out here, then…" Yugito didn't finish the sentence. The meaning was obvious.

"Yeah…" Bee looked at the light warily. Whatever it was, it _wasn't_ good.

00.000.00

The blast wave was stronger than anything Minato had ever felt. It threatened to knock him off his feet and send him hurtling into a tree, despite being as firmly rooted into the ground with chakra as he possibly could. Thinking fast, he flickered to Kakashi, grabbed him, and flickered to the inside of Sasuke's Susano for cover.

00.000.00

When the blast wave hit Kushina, only her stubborn nature and special chakra kept her rooted into position. Kisame, however, was not so lucky. His back was to the blast, so he was surprised when he was sent flying straight at her…which she promptly took advantage of by grinding his head into dust with a Rasengan.

00.000.00

Before the smoke could clear, the Kyuubi charged forward and grabbed his staggered past counterpart by the neck and slamming him into the ground. He maintained the choking grip as he formed another, smaller menacing chakra ball right above his younger self's face—point blank range.

His past counterpart looked on in terror as the blast slammed into his head.

00.000.00

The second blast cleared the dust away from the first one, revealing a heavily wounded and nearly unconscious Kyuubi on its back. Kushina sped towards the scene, activating the seal on her arm.

00.000.00

Minato winced as the seal on his arm activated. _The signal!_ "I've got to get Asumi to Kushina. I'll be right back!" he shouted to his allies. In a flash, he appeared in the bunker, picked up a sleeping Asumi, and flickered right next to Kushina. "Here! I've still got my fight to finish. Though it looks like Naruto has his end completely under control!" he said, smiling with pride. Kushina returned the smile before taking her baby. "Be back in a flash!"

00.000.00

The Kyuubi held down his counterpart until Kushina, Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Tsunade arrived to initiate the sealing process. Confident that it would succeed, the Kyuubi turned its head towards the object of its revenge. _Madara_.

Reaching him only took a matter of seconds for the giant demon. The _poor little Uchiha_ looked up in shock when he arrived. **"MADARAAA!"** it yelled, roaring at the top of its lungs. He slammed his fist into the ground where the Uchiha stood.

Phasing out of the fist, Madara looked up at the beast's eyes in fear, seeing nothing but pure hatred in them. _WHAT?_

It was in this moment of shock and terror that the oldest shinobi alive let his guard down…for Kakashi fired off his final shot of Kamui just as Sasuke and Minato flickered in, delivering a Chidori and Rasengan straight through his chest. Madara seemed to scoff at the attempt at first before realizing that his phasing ability had failed him…and then looked at his attackers frightfully.

"It seems your mortality has finally caught up with you, Madara." The man in question looked at the blond, his mouth agape.

Sasuke pulled his Chidori-infused hand out of Madara's chest, much to the latter's pain, before stepping in front of the man. "This is for my clan, my family, my friends, and most of all…my _brother_. Rot in hell!" he yelled as he slammed the Chidori right through the man's head, straight through the brain.

At long last, the man who refused to let go of revenge had been put to an end.

00.000.00

Gathering around Asumi, the group—including Naruto's Kyuubi—observed as the last of the chakra of the past Kyuubi was sealed within the baby. Now began the process of finishing the design of the seal itself.

To everyone's surprise, the future Kyuubi began walking away. "Naruto!" shouted Kushina. "Where are you going?"

The fox turned around, confused. "Since when were you under the impression that I was Naruto?" It turned its head back forward, and continued walking away.

Everyone's mouths and eyes went agape. Realization dawned on Minato's and Kushina's faces. "Oh no, no…no no!" She looked at her husband, who caught her meaning immediately. Before he could flicker away, the blond in question stumbled into the clearing. Kushina ran over to him, catching him before he could fall. "Naruto! Oh Kami, no…"

He looked up at his mother, weakness plainly evident in his face and eyes. "It's…okay," he croaked. "This…was part…of the plan…"

Sakura rushed over to her friend, beginning diagnostic techniques. "Plan? What are you talking about?" asked his mother.

The pink haired kunoichi lifted her hands away, sadness and disbelief plasterd all over her face. "His body is shutting down…he's…_dying_…"

"Then heal him!" yelled Kushina, tears spilling down her face.

Sakura began crying too. "I can't! His body can't function without the Kyuubi inside him! It's too integrated into his body! I…" she sank to her need, holding her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do…"

Minato looked desperately between his wife and son. "Well if his body can't function without the Kyuubi, then we just have to get it back…there's still time!" Naruto recognized the panic and desperation in his voice.

"…no…" All eyes turned to Naruto. "This was…the deal. He helps us…he goes free…even then...it wouldn't work..."

Kushina wasn't having any of that. "Naruto," she said through the sniffles, "we're not…we're not going to let you…"

"Die?" he asked. "I've been…prepared for that…for a…long time. It's okay…this was…the way it…had to be."

They were all too stunned to say anything. "Please…take me…to my…sister…"

Unable to think of anything to say, his mother complied. He knelt down next to her small form. "Dad…can you…help me finish…the seal?"

Tears flowing freely, Minato nodded. Naruto began channeling his chakra into the intricate seal. "I made this choice….months ago…I'm sorry…I couldn't tell you…"

Hinata looked her love, too heartbroken to say anything but his name. "Naruto…"

He looked up at her, giving a weak, strained smile. "Hinata-chan…I'm sorry. I tried to find….another way…but I couldn't. I promised that…I would never let...my precious people die….and I don't…go back on my word…"

_No…no! This is all wrong!_ Hinata screamed at herself mentally. This was the opposite of that day…their places were reversed…

"I've left…letters for everyone…in my room." He snorted, giving a pained laugh. "I've had…months to prepare for this…but I can't think of anything to say…damn…"

And neither, apparently, could anyone else, as several of them began sobbing openly. "I…love you guys…remember your promise, Mom…Dad…remember me with a smile." He looked around at each of them meekly. "This…was my choice. It's like I said…Hinata-chan…we can't save everyone…"

Naruto stared at the fading chakra at his palms. Was this how Chiyo felt? Was this what his parents felt like as they finished his seal with their dying breaths? "Just like Chiyo…eh, Sakura…?"

His pink haired teammate looked at him, her face a mess from tears and mucus. "Hinata-chan…I…love you…goodbye…" The last of his chakra faded, and he collapsed backwards into his mother's arms. For the longest time, no one could move from their spots as they grieved, many of them bawling their guts out. Asumi was the loudest of them all.

Naruto was true to his word to the very end. He died with a smile on his face.

00.000.00

Two miles away, the Kyuubi looked back, feeling an unrecognizable kind of pain in his chest as he contemplated his host's death. He felt...bad about it. But the kit had told him that he was free to go without any regrets. He had earned his freedom, and was given the right to walk away without a care in the world.

And that was exactly what it was going to do.

* * *

A/N: Hate me now?

This is NOT the last chapter. But yes, Naruto truly DID die. As for Kakashi using Chiyo's tensei jutsu...remember, just seeing it won't allow you to perform it. Kakashi has never shown any healing abilities whatsoever, so a tensei jutsu is likely beyond his capability.

Even so, his body can't function without the Kyuubi. Bringing him back to life with that technique probably wouldn't work for long.

I'm going to be covering all of the letters Naruto left behind, including a certain surprise he left as his legacy. You'll see.

Please stay tuned! You won't regret it.


	19. Something To Remember Me By

A/N: Update date - 7/13/10. This chapter was pretty sad to write...but I really enjoyed writing it. There is one (maaaybe two) chapter after this one. After that, I'll be switching to my sequel (you'll learn all about it in the last chapter).

**TRUST ME, YOU'LL WANT TO READ UNTIL THE END OF THIS STORY**. I have several great things planned, and it would be a shame for you to not see them.

One of you guys pointed out that Naruto could have been saved by having the past Kyuubi sealed into Naruto. This wouldn't work for a few reasons:

1) That Kyuubi was already sealed into Asumi. Ripping it out of her would have killed her.

2) I actually had to go back and make it clearer, but Naruto was going to die regardless; the act of having one's bijuu released from its host kills the host instantly (with the exception of the Uzumaki clan, but the manga makes a strong case for them dying anyway after a little while). If (in canon) Minato could have sealed the Kyuubi back into his wife to save her, I'm sure he would have. But he didn't...so...

3) I also made it clear why Sasuke couldn't just control the Kyuubi with his EMS. With Madara already exerting his control over it, Sasuke could not take it over. He had to kill Madara first...which, as you read, was NOT going well until after the future Kyuubi joined the fray.

4) Naruto also DIDN'T plan on releasing his Kyuubi. The original plan called for him using the Shiki Fuujin, guaranteeing his death. Thus, he never worked the past bijuu being sealed into him as a possibility.

I also have to make one thing clear: **This story does not follow canon past chapter 498. In other words, Kushina was not a jinchuuriki, Madara did not rip the Kyuubi out of her, etc.**

Enjoy!**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 18: Something To Remember Me By**

After the funeral service, the group headed to the Namikaze house to retrieve the letters Naruto had left behind. Many of them couldn't bear to enter his room, so Minato walked in with the help of his sensei, Jiraiya.

What they found surprised even them. On the desk was a box, which upon opening, they found it to be filled with letters and seals. Picking one of the latter up, Jiraiya recognized it instantly. "It's a memory," he said. The toad sage looked at his student, perplexed. "What would he want to show you?"

Minato, however, was busy opening the letter that sat on the top of it all. It read…

_Dear Everyone,_

_If you're reading all of this stuff, then it means I'm dead. Yeah, it feels weird writing that, but hey, when you travel back in time "weird" goes out the window. I've had a few months to prepare this stuff, so I tried to cover everything I wanted you to know._

_Enclosed in the box, aside from the letters—which are addressed to each of you—, are memories I've left behind for you guys. Some of them my teammates will know; others formerly belonged only to me. _

_For those of you who are from the future like me, I ask that you not share any memories earlier than the ones contained in this box. Those are my own. My childhood is not something I want to share, ever. Please respect that._

_Like I said, remember me with a smile. My only regret is that I caused you all the pain of losing me…but that's guilt I can bear in exchange for your safety. I made my choice, and I've had a lot of time to think it through. Trust me, if there was another way that didn't involve the death of my parents or someone I cared about, I would have done it. I know that some of you would have taken my place, which is exactly why I couldn't tell you what I planned to do._

_This is who I am. My precious people have always mattered more to me than my own life. That is also my choice. It's a vow I've made to myself and others many times. I live by keeping my word, and so I have._

_Don't blame yourselves for anything. Don't think "if only I had done…" Because that would piss me off. That's not how I want to be remembered._

_The memories are labeled in an order, so stick to that, please. _

_Well, what can I say? Writing is not my specialty. I don't know what to write. I don't have any magical words of wisdom to share. I just tend to wing it, and it works out pretty well. Including this time._

_Love,_

_Naruto_

Minato let his arm droop down as the tears continued to fall. Jiraiya gently took the letter, read it, and decided to give it to the people waiting outside. The blond remained rooted where he stood. He'd let his son down in the worst way possible…his son died where _he_ should have. But Naruto had told him not to think like that…he cracked a bittersweet smile as he recalled his son's words.

_Because that would piss me off._

00.000.00

After leaving a Hiraishin kunai next to the box for easy access, the group now assembled inside the memory room. Hiruzen placed the pre-made seal in the designated spot, and they entered the memory.

The scenery faded into…a stone wall with paint? Hanging by a rope, Naruto was painting _something_, but _what_? Kushina wondered.

_Voices shouted from below. "Look at what you've done!" _

"_Stop doing this!"_

"_You'll pay for this!"_

_I turned around, smiling. "SHUT UP YOU MORONS! None of you would be able to do something like this! But I can! I'm incredible!"_

Suddenly Kushina felt the urge to laugh and cry at the same time. Her son had just pulled off a prank that would put hers to shame…he had _painted_ the faces of the Hokage Monument while hanging from a _rope_. It was even more ironic that he was painting his _father's_ face at the time. It was something she would have been so proud about had she been there…

_Before I could complete my work, a familiar voice made me jump in surprise._

"_WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING DURING CLASS TIME? GET DOWN HERE YOU MORON!"_

_Iruka-sensei. Crap._

_My arms tied, I sat in front of the class while Iruka-sensei lectured me. "Tomorrow is the Academy Graduation Exam and you've already failed it the last two times! This isn't the time to be causing trouble!"_

_I scoffed at him. "Whatever…"_

_Iruka ordered a impromptu henge test, yet again making the class pissed off at me. "This is all your fault!" one yelled._

"_Like I give a damn…"_

"_Next, Uzumaki Naruto!"_

Of course, the last thing Kushina expected was for Naruto to transform into a nearly naked woman, but she supposed she should have known better. This _was_ her son, after all.

_Cleaning the monument was tedious, to say the least, but at least this time I had an actual scaffold to work with._

"_I won't let you go home until everything is clean!" Iruka shouted down to me._

"_Like I care! It's not like I have anyone to go home to!"_

That statement brought a gush of tears from Minato and Kushina. All of their guilt came piling back…

"_Naruto…"_

_I looked up at him. "What?"_

"_Well, um…if everything is cleaned up, I'll buy you some ramen tonight."_

_My face lit up. "OKAY! I'll work as hard as I can!"_

The memory skipped forward to Naruto and Iruka slurping up ramen at Ichiraku's. Kushina recalled when she had suggested that very same shop to her son when they met on the village wall…he had really known about it all along?

"_Naruto?"_

_I slurped down some more noodles. "Huh?"_

"_Why were you doing that to the monument? Don't you know who the Hokage are?"_

"_Of course I know!" I shouted in protest. "Basically the Hokage are the strongest shinobi of this village, right? And among them is the Yondaime Hokage, a hero who saved the village from the Kyuubi no Youko."_

Minato couldn't bear the sheer irony of it all. Only now was he beginning to understand…Naruto truly had no idea who his parents were. On top of it all, Naruto had sacrificed himself in his own place…knowing full well what would have happened otherwise.

"_Then why?" he asked._

"_Well, one day I'm going to get the Hokage title," I said, pointing my chopsticks at Iruka-sensei with a determined look, "and then I will surpass all of the previous Hokage!"_

The blond wanted to tell him that he already had…but he knew he couldn't…

_The day of the Academy Graduation Exam came, and lucky me, it was the Bunshin no Jutsu: my worst jutsu. I was the last person to go, and when I did…the results were terrible._

"_FAIL!" yelled Iruka. _

"_This is his third time, and he did create a clone. We could let him pass…" Suddenly, Mizuki looked like my savior. My hopes ran high…_

"_No way Mizuki! All of the others created two clones, and Naruto oly created one—which was useless. I can't let him pass."_

No one could believe the paradox. The guy who could make _thousands_ of shadow clones failed his graduation exam because he couldn't properly make a single normal clone?

_Once again, my hopes had been crushed right in front of me. Later, I sat on the familiar swing, unable to look at the happy kids being congratulated by their parents…_

"_Great job! That's my son!"_

"_Now you're a man!"_

"_I'm so proud of you! I'm going to make your favorite dinner tonight!"_

Every statement felt like a blade to the heart for his parents. The moments they were never there for their child when he needed them the most…

_Two girls near the crowd glared at me. "Hey, that kid…" one said._

"_Yeah, that's 'the kid' and he's also the only one who failed."_

"_Well, that's a good thing. He shouldn't become a shinobi, since he is—"_

"_Shh! We're not supposed to talk about that."_

_I pulled my goggles over my eyes to hide the tears._

_As I walked home, Mizuki-sensei asked to talk to me. We sat on a terrace overlooking a portion of the village._

"_Iruka-sensei is a serious person. His parents were killed by the Kyuubi no Youko when he was young and he had to take care of everything himself."_

"_But then why does he only pick on me?" I shouted._

_Mizuki smiled at me. "He probably sees himself in you. He's probably thinking that he wants to see you become strong the real way. Try to understand Iruka's feelings, since you also have no parents…"_

_I slouched even further. "…but I wish I graduated…"_

"_In that case..I'll tell you a special secret."_

_I looked at him, confused. "Huh?"_

"_There's another way to graduate…"_

Minato recognized the trap and lie immediately, and was furious. His son's teacher had so blatantly taken advantage of Naruto's trust, desperation, and grief? He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.

Hiruzen was particularly embarrassed when Naruto used his 'Sexy no Jutsu' to knock him out cold. Though he had to admit, being able to defeat a Hokage as an Academy student was unheard of, despite the…unconventional means.

_I studied the scroll. "Let's see, the first jutsu is 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu?' What the hell! Why does it start with the thing I'm bad at!"_

Once again, the memory skipped forward to a panting Naruto sitting in the middle of the forest.

_Iruka-sensei walked up to me. "I've found you…" he said as he smiled._

_I pointed at him, joking around. "Hey! I found the nose-bleeder!"_

"_Baka! I found you!"_

_I scratched the back of my head. "Hehehe…you found me…I've only had time to learn one thing…damn."_

"_Hey! You look all beaten up, what were you doing here?"_

"_Never mind that! Hey, hey! I'm going to try and incredible jutsu! If I do it, then let me graduate!"_

_Iruka seemed very confused now. "Naruto, where did you get that scroll?"_

"_What, this? Mizuki-sensei told me about it, and about this place too." I grinned wide at him. "He said if I showed you this skill, I'd definitely graduate!"_

_Suddenly, I was shoved aside by Iruka. Looking back up, I saw that he had been peppered by a hail of kunai. _

"_Nice job finding the moron!" shouted Mizuki. _

"_I see…so that's what's going on," commented Iruka._

"_Naruto, give me the scroll!" yelled the traitor._

_I looked between the two frantically. "What? What's going on here? Hey?" _

"_Naruto, whatever happens, don't give him the scroll! That's a dangerous scroll that has forbidden ninjutsu written inside of it! Mizuki used you to get his hands on the scroll!_

_I was _very_ alert now. _

"_Naruto," said Mizuki, "there's no point in you having it. I'll tell you the truth."_

"_No! Don't!" yelled my sensei._

_Mizuki continued anyway. "Twelve years ago…you know about the Kyuubi no Youko being defeated, right? Since that day…a special rule was created for this village."_

"…_a rule?" I asked._

"_But…this rule could never be told to you."_

"_Not to me? What is this rule? Tell me!"_

_Mizuki chuckled. "The rule that nobody is allowed to talk about the fact that you ARE the Kyuubi no Youko!"_

_Everything froze. My knees buckled as my mind reeled. "Wha-what do you mean?" I shouted._

_Iruka begged for him to stop, but the bastard was enjoying himself now. "It means that you are the Kyuubi no Youko…that killed Iruka's parents, destroyed the village, and killed your precious Yondaime Hokage! You were sealed up by the Hokage you admire and have been lied to by everyone! Didn't you find it odd how everyone hates you? Iruka is the same! He also hates you!" Mizuki grabbed one of the giant shuriken from his back and prepared to throw it. "Nobody will ever love you! That scroll was used to seal you up!"_

_My whole world had been turned upside down. Now everything made sense. The glares. The hate. I am the demon who destroyed the village…who killed all of those people…I deserve to die…_

Kushina's heart was overwhelmed. She had just learned more about her son's childhood than she had in the past year and a half…she still couldn't even imagine it. Everyone hated him…no one ever loved him…no one, let alone a _child_, should ever have to feel anything like that. She finally understood the true weight of Hinata's confession and apparent death to him…it was even worse than she had previously thought. And to think that he believed he had killed his own _father_, his hero and idol…

_I didn't even move as the shuriken flew at me. But a blur appeared in front of my face as a drop of blood dripped onto my cheek. It was…Iruka-sensei…taking the hit for me. "Why?" I asked, fearful._

"_My parents…after they died there was nobody to compliment or acknowledge me…I always acted like an idiot just to get people's attention, since I wasn't good at things like learning or doing was better than nothing, so I kept acting like an idiot. It was so painfull…" The man started crying over me. "Naruto, you must also have been in a lot of pain. I'm sorry, if I only did a better job…you woulnd't have to feel like this…"_

_Overwhelmed, I ran away as fast as I could. It was too much to process. I hid behind a tree as the pair fought briefly and then talked. _

"_Hehehe, you'd even transform into what killed your parents to protect him."_

"_I won't hand the scroll over to someone like you! You idiot! Naruto and I are the same!"_

_I felt a twinge of hope, that maybe I wasn't a complete monster after all…_

"_If you use the techniques in that scroll, you can do whatever you want. There's no way that demon fox wouldn't try to use the power of the scroll, unlike what you're assuming."_

_Iruka sighed. "Yeah…"_

_That was the last straw. Even Iruka-sensei, deep down, hated me too. I killed his parents…_

"_The demon fox would do that…but Naruto is different." My head perked up. "He is one of my excellent students. He may not be the hardest worker, and he is clumsy and no one accepts him…but he already knows what it is to feel pain inside your heart. He isn't the demon fox. He is a member of Konoha. He's Uzumaki Naruto!"_

_I broke down, crying. The hope that I wasn't a monster returned. _

"_Well, whatever." Iruka grunted in pain as Mizuku pulled the second huge shuriken off of his back. "Iruka…I said I would take care of you later, but I changed my mind. HURRY UP AND DIE!"_

_He moved to throw the shuriken…but I slammed into him, knocking off his aim. "You shouldn't have done that!" he yelled. _

_I looked at him, hate in my eyes. "Don't touch Iruka-sensei or I'll kill you!" I yelled._

"_You idiot! Why did you come out? Run away!" shouted my sensei._

"_Haha, I'll kill someone like you with one shot!" Mizuki yelled._

_I formed a hand seal. "Try it trash! I'll return the pain a thousand times over!"_

"_Then do it, demon fox!"_

"_KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" Mizuki suddenly found himself surrounded by a thousand shadow clones._

_The traitor looked around in shock. "Wha—what's going on?" he shouted. _

"_What's wrong?" I taunted. "Weren't you going to kill me in one shot? Well then, I'll start!"_

_He screamed as I beat the shit out of him. Dispelling the clones, I sheepishly rubbed the back of my head again. "Hehe…I went a little too far…"_

Everyone stared at the memory in stunned surprise. Naruto, as an _academy student_, managed to beat the crap out of his _Chuunin Instructor_? Sakura, Sasuke, and Hinata finally realized what happened to their academy teacher. None of them had ever seen _this_ coming.

"_Naruto, come over here…there's something I want to give you."_

_I closed my eyes as asked. "Now, sensei?"_

"_Yes, you can open your eyes now."_

_I did, and found Iruka's head bare. "Congratulations on graduating!" Iruka shouted. "Let's celebrate! I'll buy you some ramen!"_

_Feeling happier than I ever had been, I jumped at him, locking him in a tight embrace. _

The memory skipped ahead…

_Waking up with a stretch and a yawn, I walked around my small, messy apartment and quickly got ready. I saw the glint of my hitae-ate and the memories came flooding back. I had graduated! I needed to get to the Academy quickly!_

_Taking a seat next to a brooding Sasuke, a classmate came up to me. "Huh? Naruto, what the hell are you doing here? Only the ones who passed the exam are supposed to be here!"_

_I shouted back at him a little angrily. "Hey, hey! Can't you see the hitai-ate?"_

"_Hey, will you let me through already?" yelled a girl from behind that kid. I turned to see it was none other than my crush, Sakura-chan. Could it be…that she wants to sit next to me?_

"_NARUTO! MOVE YOUR ASS! I WANT TO SIT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF YOU!"_

_Confused, I looked over to see Sasuke. Damn it! It's always him, the most popular guy in the class!_

Sakura and Sasuke facepalmed at that part while Kakashi-jisan and Hinata just laughed. When Naruto and Sasuke accidentally ended up kissing, Sasuke and Sakura hid their faces in embarrassment while the rest of the group joined in the laughter.

"_Okay, next is Team 7. Haruno Sakura…Uzumaki Naruto…" I shouted in triumph while Sakura slumped in gloom. "…and Uchiha Sasuke."_

_Now I slumped in gloom while Sakura cheered. "Iruka-sensei!" I shouted, pointing my finger at Sasuke. "Why does an outstanding shinobi like me have to be on the same team as that prick over there?"_

_Iruka placed his hands on his hips sternly. "Sasuke's grades were the best of all 27 graduates…and yours were _dead last_. You understand that we have to balance the teams, right?"_

"_Bah," grunted Sasuke. "Just don't get in my way…dobe."_

"_WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?"_

The memory skipped ahead one last time…

"_Why is our Team 7 sensei so damn late?" I shouted._

The fog lifted and the surroundings returned to normal. Tears trickled down the time travelers' faces as the nostalgia came flooding back. For the non-Academy students of Naruto's generation, the realization that this had all happened the _day before_ the memory of Team 7's formation was incredible. When they first saw Team 7 introduce themselves in a memory more than a year ago, none of them had any idea that something horrible had happened right beforehand. How could he simply shrug off something so traumatic as if it never happened?

The answer came to Minato relatively quickly. His childhood must have been hell…the only way to explain why he acted so happy despite it all was that the boy actively tried to forget. He would wake up and try not to think of what had happened yesterday or the day before. He truly lived on a day by day basis on the hope that tomorrow would be better. This conclusion horrified Minato, but the sad reality that if Naruto had _not_ done something like that he would have been a cold, distant person was heart wrenching.

00.000.00

_Dear Kakashi-sensei,_

_You will not go to the Memorial Stone every waking moment of free time you have. That's not a question or a suggestion. That's a so-help-me-Kami-I-will-kick-the-ever-loving-shit-out-of-you-if-you-disobey-me order. Got it?_

_You are not to blame for any of this, at all. There is nothing you could have done. This wasn't at all like Obito's death; there isn't even a question of guilt. It was my choice, made months ahead of time. _

_With that out of the way (I know you too well, it seems), I can say what I REALLY want to say._

_First off, I want to thank you for keeping me safe when I was a child. I understand that you were too emotionally broken to take care of my emotional needs—Kami knows you had too many of your own—but you saved me from the mobs and drunks, and for that I am eternally grateful. You helped me and protected me as my sensei, and you inspired me to work harder to reach that next lofty goal._

_You're like family to me. Scratch that, you _are_ family. It's a shame that it took me so long to realize that._

_I would not want any other jounin-sensei, no matter who I had to choose from. I've never told this to anyone else before, but I came to view your odd habits—from ridiculous tardiness to always reading your perverted books—as endearing. It was…different. It made me feel a bit special, in a way. I can't really describe it, but I had to at least try. _

_We did pretty well, didn't we? We went back in time and saved almost everyone. Obito and Rin are holding hands practically every time you see them together, and your younger self actually stopped wearing his mask all the time._

_You know, like a normal person. Minato and Kushina are the cutest couple I've ever seen, and Asumi makes everyone smile. Even when she poops in her diaper. Which, in case you're wondering, is QUITE an accomplishment. _

_Even Sasuke-teme seems happy now, which I thought was beyond the impossible for the longest time._

_Ugh. I hate writing letters like this. It's like while you're writing it, you can't think of anything to say, but when you're not writing it, you want to say _everything_. Damn it, I should have asked Ero-sennin for help. He was a much better writer anyway._

_I'm going to tell you things in this letter that I won't tell anyone else. Not even my parents. In a way, you're the person I'm closest to. You were there the day I was born, and you saw me through my entire life. I don't mind talking openly about my childhood here, because you know it all anyway._

_And you can handle it. Unfortunately, I know I can't say the same of anyone else I know._

_I live my life with a constant pain. Like a hole in my heart that you know all too well. It can't heal. Some things will cover it up, like spending time with my sister or laughing with my parents…but the real wound never heals. Spending the first twelve years of my life alone and hated was hard. From what I know, that kind of damage runs deep enough to be engrained into who you are. I guess that's why I had no problems doing what I did…I've never really cared that much about living anyway. No matter what good stuff happens, there's just no sense for me in caring more about my own survival when a friend is in danger. Try as I might, I just don't get it._

_I love my parents, I really do, but it's impossible to really have the kind of relationship I wish for. With everyone else, they had years to spend with their parents. They had a childhood to remember them by. But I never knew my parents for almost my entire life. I didn't even know about them at all. We've become a family, sure, but it's more like I'm a close cousin than a son. Ironic, right? _

_It IS something amazing though. I love every second I get to spend with them. I've never felt more accepted or loved than I'm around them (well, with Hinata-chan standing next to me too, but you know what I mean). The days…months…_years_ of wishing with all my might to wake up the next morning with a loving family and brothers and sisters…they took their toll on me too much. I never really had a childhood, at least as it's been described to me over the years. What's worse, having something and losing it in a horrible way or never having it in the first place?_

_I've thought long and hard on that one. But with the experiences of the past year, I can safely say that it is far worse to never have those things at all. I never had a happy memory to fall back on. No memory of my family or a time when I could remember someone holding me and telling me everything was going to be alright. _

_That's something Sasuke really doesn't know. The pain is far worse when you learn of the experiences you _could_ have had, but were denied. When I met my mom after battling for control of my Kyuubi's chakra, she told me all about the day I was born. That pain afterwards…trying to imagine what my life would have been like had that day been different…was the worst I've ever felt. Worse, even, than losing the ones I love. I don't know why. I've experienced both, but they just don't even compare._

_But I can take comfort in knowing that I DID change things so that Asumi will never have that kind of pain. So that Sasuke can bond with his family once again. So that you don't have to go the memorial stone to talk to Obito…you can go talk to him in the flesh. So that Nagato will never know the pain of losing Yahiko, or cutting himself off from happy thoughts completely. So that all the families who were torn apart by the Third Great Shinobi War after the battle of Kannabi Bridge will be happy. So that Neji will not grow up grieving bitterly over the loss of his father and mother. So that my Mom and Dad can live out the rest of their lives as a legendary husband and wife, raising a kickass family that will dominate the history books. I think of all that, and I can't help but feel happy. I can give that happiness to people where it was completely denied to me. I can save them from the pain that I still suffer from every day. No regrets. Only the knowledge that I fixed what was once wrong._

_Damn it, what can I say? These are my final words to you, but I'm terrible at this stuff. I don't have sagely wisdom (more irony, yay) to pass on. _

_I guess, then, I'll leave it with this: _

_Take off your damn mask already. Can you do that for me? As one last favor for me?_

_Love,_

_Naruto _

"I know, I know," Kakashi-jisan said to the Memorial Stone. "You don't want me coming here all the time. I get it. But I have to have some place to talk to you, right?" Kakashi sighed, his hand hovering over his mask. "Yeah, I can do that for you, Naruto." He pulled it down from his face. "You never did get to see it, did you? Well…you will, someday. When it's my time to go, too. I have to admit, you did a damn good job with all this. They're taking it very well, all things considered. You really left a lot of things to remember you by. Your sister, especially. I'm sure she'll want to know all about you when she grows up. You're her counterpart, and she's yours. It's almost like you're twins…of fate, or something. Okay, I'm not one for sagely wisdom either. Sorry…"

He got back up to his feet. "I'll visit from time to time, let you know how things are going. And don't worry…" He started to walk away, but stopped, his head turning back to the stone. "I _will_ be late."

00.000.00

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_Please, please don't beat yourselves up about this. You didn't fail me, nor was anything your fault. My actions were my choice, and I followed my nindo all the way through. I don't let my precious people die, no matter what._

_I love you guys. I won't lie; our relationship was never really that of father/mother and son. It never really could be. But we did have something special, something that made me happier than ever. And for that, I hope you can smile._

_Whenever I look at you two, I get a sense of belonging. You're where I come from; you're my history and, in an odd way, my legacy._ _I need you to understand just how big of a deal that is. The thing I lacked for most of my life was that sense of belonging. I didn't even know who my parents were until I was 16. Meeting you guys, even if it was for a total of a few minutes, meant the world to me. When I met you that day on the battlefield with Iwa, Dad, it was like living a dream. As a kid, my biggest fantasy (aside from waking up to a loving family and siblings) was fighting alongside the legendary Yellow Flash, the Yondaime Hokage. That, too, meant more to me than you could possibly know. And meeting you, Mom, on the village wall oh-so-worried about your precious Minato-kun was…I don't know how to describe it. It was…no, I really can't put any words to it. It was a great feeling, one that I'll always cherish. The time I got to spend with both of you was something I could only have dreamed of before…having actually lived it, I really can die happy._

_If you ever need to know more about me, ask Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, or Sai…they know all about me. Mostly. There are some things about myself that even I don't understand, and probably never will. _

_You've helped me when I needed it most, in my most dire of hours. You didn't let me down. You saved me._

_I'm terrible at stuff like this. I can't think of what to say. Even when I do, I can't put my thoughts into words. So I'll stick with the stuff I know._

_Dad, I'm betting you 5000 ryou that Asumi will eat ramen just like Mom and me. I'm holding you to that._

_Here are some tips for her, from someone who has a lot in common for her. _

_Teach her the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu while she's still in the Academy. Trust me, she can handle it. And tell her about the knowledge transfer right off the bat, too. That would have saved me a lot of trouble…it makes me laugh when I think about it._

_If she's anything like me, she'll train until she drops from exhaustion. This is normal. It's ALSO normal for her to wake up in a few hours ready to go anew. After several helping of ramen, of course._

_Tell her not to trust the Kyuubi until she is told otherwise. She'll know when the time comes. But also tell her to try and build a relationship with him. As crazy as it sounds, it is important, and is a very special thing for a jinchuuriki._

_Tell her to actually pay attention in the Academy. It would have saved me a lot of trouble._

_Don't let her status as daughter of the Hokage (or, maybe, as the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki) get to her head. Tell her to make friends wherever possible, ESPECIALLY with the weird ones who don't approach her. That's very important. I wish I had followed that advice._

_If she has fanboys, tell her to ask Sasuke and Sakura for tips in dealing with them._

_Tell her to prank Kakashi (both of them) and Sasuke for me. That is of the utmost importance. Someone must continue my legacy._

_Lastly, tell her to never give up and to stay true to her word. Don't let her take anything for granted, because some people never can._

_Love,_

_Naruto_

_P.S. – Don't name a kid after me. Please. It's bad enough with two Kakashi's. _

Kushina held her daughter and husband as they wept together with smiles on their faces. They'd all seen the memory of when Naruto first met her inside of his mind, two years ago. Though embarrassed by the tale of their own love story, the whole thing was especially endearing. But the bitter irony of it all…the fact that at the end, she and Minato disappeared in front of his eyes as he lived on…was not lost on them. It was a hard reality to swallow.

00.000.00

_Dear Obito,_

_Kakashi-sensei would. not. stop. obsessing. over. you. when. you. died. He visited the memorial stone every waking moment of his free time (and then some, since he was several hours late every time a life wasn't on the line), talking to you. _

_So don't forget to prank the shit out of him, okay? I never saw him laugh until he saved you. Make that count, by the way. Enjoy the life you have, knowing that in my time, you never lived past 13. Think about that every day so that even the most annoying, boring moments of your life seem wonderful._

_Trust me; I know what I'm talking about. Knowing that you're going to die months in advance is…a kind of freedom. It's almost like a beautiful gift. Every little thing is amazing. Every bowl of ramen is heavenly. Every laugh is that much funnier. Every smile warms your heart that much more._

_I hope you and Rin will be happy. I have to say, I've never seen Kakashi (the elder) smile so wide when he saw you two together. It was like a big hole in his heart had been healed. Again, I know what I'm talking about._

_You're a great shinobi and a wonderful student. It's been an honor being your sensei._

_Prank on,_

_Naruto_

00.000.00

Hinata held her letter loosely as the tears tricked down her face. She tried thinking of all the regrets she'd had, from being too shy to even approach her love until it was almost too late to not being able to save him. But her blond knucklehead had thought of everything ahead of time.

_Dear Hinata-chan,_

_Of all the letters I have to write, this one is the hardest. I am far guiltier for not being able to spend the rest of my life with you than I am leaving my family incomplete. I really love you, and it's hard to let it all go, but there is no other way. I promised to never let my precious people die, and I never go back on my word. _

_I will never forget the time we spent together. Every moment, every day was like a day in heaven. I say that meaning every word…after living in hell most of my life, I should know the difference._

_I know you. You will do a few things. You'll hate yourself for not having the courage to approach me earlier in your life, or confess your feelings years earlier. You'll also blame yourself for not being able to save me or change my mind._

_Both of which, by the way, are stupid. Didn't we already agree to let the past go? You had reasons for what you did. Just as I was completely oblivious to your feelings, you were too shy to reveal them. We're both at fault, in that regard. And really, we had NO idea that any of this was going to happen. But we made the most of it, that's for sure._

_So if you berate yourself AGAIN over stupid crap like that, I will not eat ramen for a month. And you know how terrible a torture that is for me._

_You know all the stuff I want to say. We know each other too well for this letter to have deep revelations or crap like that._

_So I'll say the one thing that, perhaps, you will actually question in the future. I want you to be happy, no matter what. That means that if you find a guy you like a year from now, by all means go and ask him out. Find someone you love and live a happy life. Seeing you with a loving family of your own would make me happier than you could possibly know. Okay? Can you do that for me?_

_I can't find anything to say here. There are no words of wisdom or last thoughts that I can put down here to sum everything up. There is no good way to say goodbye for the last time. So...like I've told everyone, remember me with a smile…because that is the best way to honor me. Remember the good, not the bad. That's how I've always lived my life._

_I love you,_

_Naruto_

00.000.00

"I can't believe you, dobe." Sasuke clutched his letter with a soft hand. "You were supposed to become the greatest Hokage, remember?" He paused, sighing painfully. "I…I never imagined any of this that day when we stated our dreams. I thought I had lost everything…but it's taken me all this time to realize that I hadn't. You were the one who lost everything. And worst of all…you lost it all before you even knew you had it. And yet you kept going like there was no tomorrow. How did you do it? I…I've tried imagining myself in your position, doing the things you did…but I can't. I just don't understand how anyone could keep going after that. How you never lost hope on me, or never gave in to despair when almost everyone else in your position would have…"

He bowed his head, holding back a sob. "Damn it, dobe…I told you not to die. It wasn't meant to be like this…"

For the first time since Itachi's death, Sasuke let the tears flow freely.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter might come out later today, perhaps...

All I can say is you'll want to read this to the end. Naruto's legacy remains, as do many of his memories...how will Asumi react to that?


	20. Ten Years Later

A/N: Update date - 7/14/10. I loved writing this chapter. You'll find that this chapter is kind of like a preview/prequel chapter of the sequel I'm planning.

I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter. I really like it and put a lot into it. Unfortunately, you won't see some of the letters Naruto left behind (at least not in this story, perhaps in the sequel). Why? Because they were hard to write without being repetitive, and it would have taken _forever_. Sometimes, the reactions were more important than the words (especially in Sasuke's case). You WILL, however, find Asumi's letter in this chapter, which is by far my favorite, so enjoy.

**There will be one more chapter to this story (unless I have something come up)**, so stay tuned.

Personal Responses:

Shinigami: Obviously, someone else will remember that stuff and take care of it. Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke were all there for that stuff.

pharix: See above. You MIGHT see more of the letters in the sequel. You DO see Asumi's letter in this chapter, though.

HollowsGrace: Yeah, last chapter was very emotional for me, too. I definitely went through a few tissues :) I imagine it's even sadder for you guys, though, because you're _reading_ the story purely from an observer's POV and everything is new and surprising.

Thousand Tailed Holy FlashFang: Thanks :) It's reviews like yours that let me know I'm doing something right.

Aria Snow: Naruto's life was never fair. At all. But...this was his choice. Remember that.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 19: Ten Years Later**

Asumi awoke to shouting and the sound of feet running down the hall. _Ugh. Damn little brother and sister. _Getting ready for another day at the Academy was routine. Even when Arata and Kazuko came running into her room to annoy her for fun. At seven years old, the twins would be starting in the Academy next year, and were very jealous that _she_ was training to become a ninja already.

Heading down for breakfast, she spotted her three year old sister, Manami, playing with her food as her mother and father chatted away. Father noticed the noise of her scooting her chair back and turned around. "Asumi-chan, you'd better eat quickly or you'll be late."

"Daaad," she groaned. "Asumi-_chan_? When are you going to stop _calling me that_?"

He gave her a huge grin. "When you graduate from the Academy. Which, by the way, you'll be late for if you don't finish eating in two minutes."

Not wasting any time, Asumi dug in, finishing a decent breakfast in record time. "Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" she yelled as she ran out the door. Using some chakra in her feet, she leapt along the rooftops to make it to class on time. Waiting for her was her best friend, Hyuuga Hanabi.

"You're almost late, Asumi-chan! Let's go already!"

"Sorry," she explained, "my brother and sister usually wake me up earlier. They tend to be good enough as an alarm clock." They shared a short laugh before racing into the classroom.

"Alright, take your seats everyone!" Shouts of 'Yes, Iruka-sensei!' filled the room. I took my seat next to Hanabi and Shikamaru as Iruka-sensei stood in front of the class. After an hour of ninjutsu practice, he made an announcement.

"Today, we're going to do a sparring tournament! Remember the rules! No ninjustsu! No weapons! When someone says that they give up, you stop IMMEDIATELY. If I call the match over, it is over, no arguments. Understood?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Follow me out to the Academy training grounds!"

The tournament brought a slew of parents and siblings from many of the students, including her own. Her parents smiled warmly at her as she fought her matches. Having been trained by several people, like Father, Kakashi-sensei, Obito-sensei, and Sakura-sensei, she won her matches handily. Advancing to the finals, she looked upon her opponent: Uchiha Daisuke.

She would never, _ever_ admit it to anyone, but she found him…cute. But the _last_ thing she wanted to do was join the "Daisuke Fangirl Club," so she became his heated rival. Daisuke was strong, that much she knew. He had been trained by his brothers, Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi, two of the strongest members of the Uchiha Clan, and had already awakened the first tomoe of his Sharingan.

Taking him down would require a trump card. They fought tooth and nail, blow for blow, but Daisuke had the edge and it showed. Knocked down for the third time, she finally decided to use it. Asumi knew she was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, as did everyone in her class. Her parents had told her that she was special; that she held a powerful demon at bay and would one day be able to use its power for good. Her friends and classmates thought the whole idea was really cool, and everyone she met in the village seemed to respect and smile at her. Several even thanked her for keeping that demon locked up, which she accepted with a blush and a, "it's nothing, really…"

She'd never tried drawing on some of the Kyuubi's chakra before, but she read all about what a jinchuuriki was from confidential scrolls in the library. Being the daughter of the Hokage _did_ have its perks, after all. Jinchuuriki were known to be very powerful because they could draw on the power and chakra of their tailed beast, so she would do the same. Forming a tiger seal, she concentrated as hard as she could on the being sealed inside of her, just like she'd practiced. Finally, she drew upon its chakra, feeling the power flowing through her.

Daisuke looked at her in total surprise. _Payback time, _she thought. But before she could start going to town on his face, something felt…_wrong_. Her vision began swimming with red…strong emotions of hate and malice swelled up inside of her. She felt her body changing…she looked down at her hands, and noticed that they resembled _claws_ more than the soft fingers she was used to. The red began to overwhelm her…it _hurt_…

Asumi looked up suddenly, finding herself in completely different surroundings. In front of her was a giant cage…and behind that lay a giant, red, nine-tailed fox staring at her with a smile that could only be described as _horrifying_.

"**Foolish human. You thought you could use my power WITHOUT CONCEQUENCES?" **it shouted, causing Asumi to fall back and scream in terror. **"You'll learn the price of thinking you can control ME!"**

She was in shock, more scared than she had ever been in her life. Red chakra began to seep through the bars and surround her. She felt like she was suffocating…

"Leave her alone, furball."

The red immediately faded, the feelings of pain, rage, and anger disappearing. She looked up to see a man with bright blond hair, wearing an orange and black jumpsuit, staring at the fox.

"**YOU! COME HERE! I'LL RIP YOU TO SHREDS!"**

"Saying you're going to rip me to shreds isn't going to make me come closer, baka. I thought you were supposed to be clever?" The fox roared in frustration. The man turned to look at me, and smiled. "Why don't we go talk somewhere quieter?" He snapped his fingers, and Asumi found herself in a place of pure white…

"You!" she shouted in recognition. "You're the one from the pictures! Who are you?"

The man laughed. "So they haven't told you anything about me yet? I don't blame them; it's pretty dark stuff for such a young child."

Asumi pouted. "But I'm _ten_! I can handle that stuff! And you still haven't answered my question! You're in a couple of the pictures at my house! Who are you?"

He smiled. "My name is Namikaze Naruto. I'm you brother…imouto."

She was beyond confused now. "N…Naruto? You're the one who saved the village from the Kyuubi! And…you're one of those people from the future! But…I've never had an older brother!"

Naruto ruffled her hair. "That's because I died when you were less than a year old. But look at you now…you've gotten so big!"

Asumi processed his words, finally coming to terms with the truth. "But…if you're my older brother, and you died…how are you here?"

The blond chuckled. "Because I helped make your seal, dummy! I placed some of my chakra into your seal so that I could help you out when you needed it."

The gears clicked in her head. "Then why? Why haven't Mom and Dad told me about you? And how did you die?" A tear began sliding down her cheek.

He gave her a bittersweet smile. "It's complicated…I died the night the Kyuubi attacked the village. Right after I finished your seal." He paused, sighing. "If you want to know more about me, ask Mom and Dad; they'll tell you all you need to know. I'm so glad, though, that I've gotten to see you all grown up. You're a big girl now!" Asumi giggled as at his antics. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Yeah! There's Arata, who looks like Dad but has Mom's red hair and eyes, and Kazuko, who's got Dad's blond hair and his eyes, too. Then there's three-year-old Manami-chan, who's got this weird orange hair and gray eyes. Arata and Kazuko are twins, and they're so annoying! And they never get tired! They're so loud and they run everywhere and make messes all the time and stuff! Manami-chan plays with her food constantly, and Mom says she always finds some way to get past the childproof stuff when they aren't looking. And Mommy is making another baby brother, but says that I won't be able to see him for awhile…"

Naruto rubbed at the tears flowing down his face as he tried—and failed—to hold back a sob. He quickly pulled himself together, though, and gave a foxy grin at his sister. "That's great…that's fantastic…" He looked up at the ceiling for a few moments before returning his gaze back down. "But…there is something I have to ask."

She looked up at him, hopeful and teary-eyed. "What is it, Nii-san?"

He looked at her with anticipation, like he'd wanted to ask this question for a long time. "Do you eat ramen like Mom, or like Dad?"

She smiled at him. "Like Mom! Daddy hits his own face every time he sees me and Mom eat like that!"

He gave her a huge grin. "I knew it! Tell Dad that he owes me 5000 Ryou."

Asumi laughed in response. "Asumi-chan…" Naruto said, his expression suddenly dark. "I…have to go."

The redhead looked up at her brother horrified. She quickly hugged him, burying her face into his stomach. "No! Why do you have to go? I don't want you to go!"

He hugged her back, his tone soft. "I'm sorry, Asumi-chan…I wish I could stay. But I only have so much chakra, and I have to save it for the really, really important parts. Okay? Everything is going to be alright…"

Asumi felt his body fade…and disappear entirely right out of her grasp. She looked at where he had just been, silently crying. As the realization hit her, she dropped to her knees, burying her face into her hands…

00.000.00

"She's coming to."

Asumi creaked her eyes open, seeing a blur of yellow and red. She blinked, clearing the image. "Mom…Dad?"

They smiled in relief. "Asumi-chan, are you okay?"

She nodded, a little overwhelmed at the moment. They helped her sit up, and she saw that she was not alone in the room…Hanabi-chan, Hinata-nee-san, Sakura-sensei, and her siblings were standing there, looking concerned. "Asumi-chan," her father asked, "why did you try to use the Kyuubi's chakra? You know it can be very dangerous. We told you not to try it yet."

She looked away from his gaze in embarrassment. "I know…but I really wanted to win …"

Her parents embraced her. "Asumi-chan," said Minato, "your mother and I are proud of you no matter what happens. It's okay to lose when there's no danger. It happens to everyone."

She nodded into their chests. "But Daisuke always wins…"

Hinata laughed. "Trust me, Asumi-chan, he'll lose sometime. And you'll beat him eventually, but you have to beat him the right way. Okay?"

Once again, she nodded. "Asumi-chan, your class is down the hall. It's only been a few minutes, and Hanabi-san will walk with you. We want you to go back now. Okay?"

Asumi was about to nod, but she suddenly jumped up, much to everyone's surprise. "Wait! I talked to Nii-san!"

At that, everyone's eyes went wide. "He…he placed his chakra into her seal!" Minato said in realization. "He must have done the same thing our future selves did for him."

"Oh yeah!" shouted Asumi. "He said that you owe him 5000 Ryou, Dad!"

Minato and Kushina looked at her, surprised for a moment, then smiling wide the next. "That I do…" he said, almost in a whisper.

Hinata and Sakura wiped away a tear as Hanabi, Kazuko, Arata, and Manami looked on in confusion. "Why didn't you tell me about Nii-san?" asked Asumi, her tone bordering between confusion and hurt.

Her parents looked at her solemnly. "It's very complicated, and we wanted to wait until you were a little older before telling you about him…there's a lot to talk about, and some of it is stuff that you wouldn't understand right now." He sighed. "For now, you should go back to class. When you get home today, we'll all have a big talk, okay?"

Walking back into class after her recent episode was embarrassing and awkward, but Hanabi stood by her the whole way, helping her overcome it.

00.000.00

The talk had been confusing even though her parents had done their best to keep it simple. What sparked her attention most, however, was when Mom said that Naruto left behind letters and memories for his family and friends, including Asumi. She was elated, and her brother and sister were jealous. Minato quickly assured them that he left a letter for them, too, but that they would have to read it when they were older.

After handing Asumi her letter, Minato and the rest left her in the living room to give her some privacy. Looking at the scroll, she read…

_Dear Asumi,_

_I don't know when you're going to read this. I've written down all of my advice on dealing with the Kyuubi in a separate scroll, along with many of my memories, so this letter won't be about that, really._

_You and I are one and the same. Yes, you're a girl and I'm a boy and all that…that's not what I mean._

_You are what I could have been. I'm what _you_ could have been. I was born on October 10__th__, 207, the same day that the Kyuubi no Youko and Uchiha Madara attacked the village. I come from the future; I and a few others accidentally traveled back in time. In my time, everything was different._

_Asumi, you have to understand that first. On the day I was born, Mom and Dad died to save Konoha, and in the process, they sealed the Kyuubi no Youko into me. That's right…I'm the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki from the future. You know what that means, right? We're both jinchuuriki of the same tailed beast. We were born from the same parents, in the same year, only in different timelines. Because the Kyuubi attack of my time claimed many lives, including that of the village's greatest hero, your father, people were very bitter and angry about that event. My parents had died, as had nearly everyone who was supposed to take care of me. People had no idea who my parents were, but they knew I had the Kyuubi sealed into me. Many saw me as the beast itself; others merely hated me for what I represented._

_I grew up alone. I didn't know who my parents were until I was 16. I didn't have any friends until I was 12. For those first 12 years, I was hated by most people in Konoha. Their hatred, glares, and occasionally, beatings, haunt me to this day. I had to prove myself, working tooth and nail for every inch of acceptance and respect that I received. I was looked upon as a dead last, an idiot, someone with no skill or common sense whatsoever. I worked hard and put my life on the line many times to overcome that. It took many years, and I eventually became their hero…but that pain never goes away. I never had Mom and Dad hug me and comfort me, I never had anyone to cheer me up when I failed or praise me when I succeeded. I couldn't talk to anyone about my fears, problems, or dreams._

_But you will not grow up like that. I've made sure of it. You'll have Mom and Dad with you every step of the way, and probably brothers and sisters too. Obito, Kakashi (both of them), Rin, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, Sai, Jiraiya, Tsunade…they're ALL going to be there for you. You won't be hated, you won't be shunned, and you _will_ have people to talk to. You'll be treated as the hero you are for keeping that fox at bay; you'll live with a loving family, you'll have all that you could need…_

_All of the things that I could only ever dream of. That I wished for every night as a kid, knowing full well that I would be disappointed when I woke up in the morning. So I ask you to not take any of that for granted. Be happy for all that you have, and cherish it. _

_But…can you do something for me? When you're sitting at the Academy, surrounded by friends and fanboys alike (ask Sasuke and Sakura for tips on dealing with that), look out for that kid sitting alone. Talk to them. Make them feel wanted. Give them someone they can call a friend. I don't expect you to understand what that kind of action will mean to them…but just know that it's really important, okay?_

_I remember the day you were born…I was scared to hold you. You were so fragile and small…and I'm so damn clumsy. But I did make a promise to you on that day. I'm going to protect you, I said. I'm going to always be there for you. _

_I meant it. I never go back on my word. That's my nindo. _

_I don't really know what you'll be like when you're older. I saw you last when you were less than a year old. But you've got the best genes there are. Your Dad is a genius among geniuses; your Mom is loving, sweet, tough, stubborn, and extremely determined. And if their looks are anything to go by, you'll put Sasuke to shame when the fanboys come rolling in. _

_Live a long, happy life. Remember that the best way to honor someone's sacrifice—and the greatest revenge—is to live life to the fullest. _

_But most of all…_

_Prank the shit out of everyone. For me._

_Love,_

_Your Nii-san, Naruto_

Asumi held the letter shakily as her mind struggled to wrap around the stunning revelations contained in the letter. She didn't even bother trying to wipe the tears away—they just kept coming. Putting the scroll down, she hugged her knees, burying her face in them as she tried to sort out her emotions.

00.000.00

Kushina and Minato waited several minutes before reentering the living room to find Asumi still holding herself, crying. They knew this would happen, which is why they tried to wait until she was older to tell her about it. But it was all out of their control now; all they could do was comfort her wherever possible.

"Asumi-chan," Kushina whispered. They moved to embrace her, and she melted into it.

"He…he really…is…me?" she asked.

Minato picked up the letter and began to read it while Kushina reassured her child. "He is your Nii-san, Asumi-chan…and you are you. But…you two are very alike."

Silence dominated for half a minute until Minato finished reading the letter. "Asumi-chan," he said, "your Nii-san died happy, with a smile on his face. He wanted everyone to be safe, and we are…because of him."

After several minutes of quiet, physical comforting, the trio was able to spend the rest of the day normally.

00.000.00

The next day, Asumi learned that her class would be focusing on history—specifically, the most important day in Konoha's history: October 10th, 207.

That piqued her interest immediately, recognizing it as the day her brother was born…and died. She paid attention to every word, as did many of her classmates.

As the lunch break rolled around, Asumi suddenly remembered her brother's request, and looked around for the person sitting alone. It didn't take long, and she recognized him almost immediately.

Aburame Shino. She never gave him much thought; with his huge coat and sunglasses, she could barely see any of his skin. He never seemed to react to anything. But she _did_ know that he didn't seem to have any friends. He was always sitting by himself and never participated in any games.

"What are you looking at?" asked Hanabi.

Asumi scratched her head. "Erm…Shino. He's always sitting by himself. Don't you think…that we should go talk to him? Try to be friends?"

Hanabi gave her an uncertain look, but nodded. They headed over to where he sat underneath a tree. "Hey, Shino…can we sit with you?" Asumi asked.

The boy looked up at her, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking. "You may."

Deciding not to be put off by the curtness, they sat down and took out their food. "So, Shino," began Asumi, "why do you wear those sunglasses all the time?"

He didn't take his eyes—as far as she could tell—off his task. "My eyes are especially sensitive to light, and being able to hide one's emotions and body cues is advantageous."

_Now I'm getting somewhere_, thought Asumi. "That sounds very useful in battle…but do you have to wear them all the time like this? Kakashi-sensei sometimes wears a mask, but he takes it off a lot too."

Shino lifted his gaze at her. For a while, he didn't say anything, but Asumi was determined not to get creeped out. Finally, he reached for his sunglasses and slowly removed them, revealing brilliant brown eyes. After only a few moments, he put them back on.

Appreciating the gesture, she smiled wide. "Thanks, Shino! Your eyes look really cool, by the way."

Once again, he looked at her silently for several seconds before replying. "Thank you."

"So," Hanabi said, "you're from the Aburame clan? You work with bugs?"

"Yes."

"And what's that like?"

Asumi thought she recognized something like confusion in Shino's look…but really had no idea if she was right.

"Your question is rather…vague."

The conversation continued with the same slow, give-and-take style for the rest of the lunch, but by the end of it, Asumi was glad she took the time to do it. She had cheerfully offered Shino to come eat lunch with them any time and hoped that he would take them up on it.

After gathering back into the classroom, Iruka-sensei said that they had a surprise and that a couple special guests would be teaching them today. They were lead to a weird room with intricate markings Asumi recognized as seals.

"We're in what's called a memory room. You'll be seeing this room more when you're older, but today we're going to finish the history lesson with a special treat." Iruka went on to explain the function of the memory room, and the kids became _very_ excited, though they didn't understand half of what they were told. "And here is who is going to be teaching us today, Uchiha Obito."

Asumi's face lit up when she recognized 'Obito-sensei' walk into the room. "What's up, everybody? My name's Obito and you'll be entering _my_ head today!" he enthusiastically shouted, pointing to his head in dramatic fashion. "So try not to get lost, or you may end up covered in paint!"

Several of the kids laughed, both at his antics and the nonsensical joke he just made. After placing their hands on the seals as instructed, their surroundings faded into a colorful world filled with random pranking objects, oddly colored trees, and a sun that changed color often.

"Come on, guys! It's this way!" he shouted. They followed him, taking in their surroundings in wonder the whole way. When they arrived at a particular, random spot, Obito had them stop. "Okay guys, remember, if you want out, just think that in your head. Ready?" Everyone nodded or yelled an affirmative. A strange fog enveloped everything…

"_But we want to fight! We're strong enough!" I shouted. Next to me stood my teammates, Rin and Kakashi-kun, while in front of me stood a large task force assembled to take part in the battle._

_Kakashi-jisan gave me a strong look, but Naruto spoke up first. "Obito, this fight is way beyond your level. You're strong, there's no doubt about that, but this…don't you remember what happened in my time?"  
My head sunk. I knew all too well. "Obito, I'm not going to let you, Rin, or Kakashi-kun get hurt." I looked back up to see Kakashi-jisan talking. "I won't lose you again. Help with the evacuation to the shelters…please."_

_Reluctantly, I consented, and we began following his order…_

Asumi watched with joy as she got to see her brother once again…even if it only was a memory.

_I stood atop the Hokage Monument along with many Konoha shinobi and citizens as we watched the battle unfold…_

The memory was an immense thing to process for her. On one hand, she got to see the beast she contained 'in the flesh,' wreaking havoc and looking scarier than anything she had ever seen. It was frightening to think about…_that_ was what was inside of her. It sent chills down her spine. But seeing her brother battle the beast with power she couldn't even fathom was breathtaking. And then…

Then she saw a _second_ Kyuubi form just beyond the village wall. She realized what it was immediately; Naruto, being the Kyuubi jinchuuriki from the future, either fully transformed into his bijuu or released it entirely. To her amazement, the second Kyuubi began fighting the first. The explosion of chakra blasts colliding from the two great foxes reminded her just how powerful her tenant was…once again, she was terrified.

But then she saw the first Kyuubi have its chakra seeping away down into a source she couldn't make out in the distance, and realized that it was _her_. She was witnessing her own sealing process from a distance. And then, after a short time, the second Kyuubi began to walk away…

00.000.00

"How are you feeling, Asumi-chan?" asked Minato. He had known exactly what had been covered in the Academy today, and was concerned. He had built another memory room inside of the Academy for the immense educational opportunities it presented, without the risks of actual combat. It had since proven invaluable.

"…scared…" she said, clutching her stomach.

He understood immediately; he crouched down to her level, placing his hand over hers. "You're safe, Asumi-chan. That seal will hold it back. I helped design it myself, remember?" She looked up at him, less fearfully now, but still uncertain. "And should the worst happen, Naruto placed part of himself into the seal to make sure he could protect you from it, no matter what. He never lets his precious people get hurt." Adding on a smile at the end seemed to deliver the final touch, as she smiled back and hugged him.

He was right, she thought. Naruto _had_ protected her already. When she was scared, when the redness overwhelmed her, Nii-san had protected her. She felt…safe.

* * *

A/N: Well, thoughts? Like the twists?

**Here are some questions for you guys:**

1) What did you think of Asumi's letter?

2) What did you think of Asumi's _character_?

3) Were the character interactions believable? If not, where were they not?

4) What were your favorite parts of this chapter? Least favorite parts?

Until next time!


	21. Epilogue: In A Mirror, Darkly

A/N: Here it is, the finale. It's been a hell of a ride, especially considering that I, as the AUTHOR, never saw most of this coming. This story was only mildly outlined for the first couple chapters, after that, it was completely free form.

You'll notice that this chapter bears the same title as the prologue. This is done for several reasons, but one of the biggest is that the main theme of "Time Heals All Wounds" is the act of coming full circle. Just as Naruto looked at Sasuke as the man he could have become, Asumi looks at Naruto as what her life could have been like. Thus, both Naruto and Asumi, in the first and last chapters respectively, look through a mirror, darkly.

**PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END! IT IS IMPORTANT!**

Once again, credit goes to Pharaoh-90 for his memory room idea. Thank you so much!

Personal Responses:

ANIME25FOREVER: Naruto specifically requested in his letters not to have a kid named after him. But I can do you one better.

Shinigami: The snow country stuff is filler, AKA not canon. I may include some of that stuff, though. Naruto, in my fic, sort of developed a Crazy Prepared persona.

Honoo no Ansatsu Sha: Thank you! I'm very flattered :)

questions: As I said, THIS chapter is the last one of this fic. HOWEVER, I'm going to write a sequel. You should make a account to keep up subscriptions of your favorite stories, it makes things much easier.

Aria Snow: Then please bear with me to the end, you won't regret it.

BKwriter: Thank you!

yarra: Really? The first, general letter was my least favorite one, lol. And to answer your question, yes, you may. Though I'd like to know more about your story, if you don't mind :)

bub23453: Asumi's seal is very similar to Naruto's. As for the "only a newborn can handle it being sealed into her/him," that's not true. Adults can have bijuu sealed into them. However, in my story, having a bijuu sealed into you when you're a baby has its benefits...like being able to develop your chakra system around the bijuu's/the seal, so you get more benefit from it.

**Without further ado, enjoy the finale!**

* * *

**Chapter 20 (Epilogue): In A Mirror, Darkly**

Ten years. Ten years of freedom, of free reign to destroy, terrorize, and rebuild the legends that preceded it. The Kyuubi, at first, was in ecstasy at being able to walk in the outside world, free to do whatever he wanted with no damn seals keeping him at bay. He could wipe a town off the map, launch a tsunami at a country, or create a wake of fire as it cut a swath of destruction.

At least, that was how it was _supposed_ to be. After the first year, he was not satisfied with merely walking and running in the open air, so he took to rebuilding his reputation. But to his horror, it was no longer satisfying. It was…_too_ easy. There was no challenge, no excitement, no _meaning_.

So he traveled across the continent, searching for something that he was missing, something that could fill the emptiness that he felt. Years passed, and while a few things captivated his interest for a time, eventually they too became empty.

Once again, he took to his search, but this time searched _inward_ for the meaning he had lost. After a year of contemplation, the Kyuubi arrived at a simple, startling conclusion.

He was lonely.

Quite simply, he could do anything he wanted, destroy practically everything, but it would mean nothing in the end, because he would have no one to share those experiences with. No one to yell at him for being stupid, to beg him to stop, to cheer him on like a maniac, or to even talk with.

Looking back, he realized that his happiest day was the day he had gained his freedom. The day he had fought his former self and that _bastard_ Madara, he felt _alive_ like no other time in his life. It had been fun…and…_meaningful_. He had protected people, he had gotten revenge, and he had kept his word…but more than all of that…

He had had a friend. The word was still so strange to him, and he _still_ hardly understood what it meant. But it was there; it _meant_ something to him, even now. The more he thought about it, the more obvious it became. He missed his friend. That was the indescribable pain he felt that day; he lost his first and only friend; he had lost the only meaning his life held.

Understanding flooded his mind. There was only one way to fix that emptiness. He knew of a person who could help him…quite possibly the _only_ person who could help him.

Fortunately, he knew just where to find him.

00.000.00

Asumi held her letter, reading it for the fifth time in a row that day. Her parents were concerned by her obsession with it, but she didn't expect them to understand.

Three weeks had passed since the day she first met her brother. In that time, she had become friends with Shino, and could smile whenever she read that part in Naruto's letter to her. But everything else…

She could almost try to imagine what Naruto had lived through. All she had to do was imagine all the smiles and expressions of gratitude she received from the villagers as the opposite; hatred, anger, and…

No, she really couldn't imagine it. She had never been hated in her life, and she hadn't seen much hatred period. As she read her brother's words, she couldn't imagine trying to be in his place.

But she had a plan. There was an empty bedroom in her house, which she was told not to ever go into. Obviously, she deduced, it must have been Nii-san's room. It was the same room Father had gone into to retrieve her letter. So it must have been the place where the memories he mentioned were kept.

Sneaking into the room was easy, so Father must not have thought anyone would try something like this. Entering it, however, brought a slew of emotions she didn't expect. She saw the bed, unmade, as if it had been left like that for the past ten years…and it looked like the same treatment had been given to everything else in the room. This was where her _brother_ used to live. This was where _she_ could have burst into with the intent of annoying _her_ older sibling. This was where the brother she never knew spent his final days. She fought back the tears, remembering her mission.

She found a sturdy box on the desk in the middle of the room. Opening it, she saw several scrolls inside, including ones marked with a special white outlining and ribbon. Seeing that the top one was labeled with the number one, and said, "Academy Graduation," she took it and closed the box back up. Opening the scroll, she saw that it looked a lot like the same seals she had seen in the memory room at the Academy, and understood its purpose immediately. Father had taught her the basics of how seals worked and even a few designs, so she felt confident that she could figure out how to use it.

Today was a day off from the Academy, so she was able to sneak in without having to worry too much about being caught. Finding the memory room, she looked around for what to do. There were a lot of seals, but many of them were identical to the ones next to it. Finally, she spotted one that looked unique, near the center of the room. It was on a desk that had its own chair, and there was a big, empty circle in the middle of an intricate seal. Unrolling the scroll, she saw that its design seemed to match it, and placed it down.

Nothing happened. Confused, Asumi began running through what little she knew of seals. _That's it!_ There was a small, hollow circle in the middle of the scroll. From what she remembered, seals like that meant that the user had to place some chakra into it to activate the seal. Doing just that, she suddenly found herself surrounded by a thick fog.

The scenery faded into what appeared to be paint on a stone wall…

Asumi laughed hysterically when she realized that her brother had _painted_ the _entire_ Hokage Monument, including _Father's_ face! He really _was_ a pranking legend, just like Mom had said.

Though there was one thing that confused her. 'Uzumaki' Naruto? _I thought he was my brother…Namikaze Naruto? Why…?_ What happened next forced that thought aside. She once again laughed as Iruka-sensei yelled at Naruto to get down from there, and then dragged him back to the classroom, tying him up in front of everybody.

Very interestingly, she recognized some of the kids in the class. There was someone who looked very similar to Hanabi, and Shino…Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino…they were all there. Even a guy who looked a lot like Daisuke sat over to the side.

From Iruka-sensei's lecture, she learned that the Academy Graduation Exam was the next day, and that Naruto had failed it the past two times. That information surprised her, but she recalled his words…

_I was looked upon as a dead last, an idiot with no skill or common sense whatsoever…_

Iruka-sensei ordered a henge test, and people blamed Naruto for starting it. When it was his turn…

She blushed in embarrassment and gaped in surprise. Her brother _really_ loved pranking people at every opportunity.

The memory skipped ahead to Naruto cleaning off the paint from the Hokage Monument, this time on a scaffold. Iruka-sensei scolded him, saying that he couldn't go home until he had finished cleaning everything up.

"_Like I care! It's not like I have anyone to go home to!"_

That statement brought a sharp pain to her heart and a tear to her eye. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to go home to find no one…alone…

A small smile returned to her face at Naruto's reaction to the promise of ramen, something she herself had done many times, to her parents' amusement.

Skipping ahead to them eating at the ramen shop, she realized that Naruto really had _no_ idea who his parents were. He had _no_ idea that his hero, his idol…was his own _father_. Try as she might, she couldn't imagine being ignorant like that, in his position…how could anyone deal with not knowing who their parents were?

Once again, the memory skipped ahead, this time to when Iruka-sensei announced the ninjutsu portion of the exam. One by one, the students walked into the side room, and came out wearing their hitai-ate with pride. Naruto was the last to go. His performance, however, was terrible. The only thing he could do correctly was a henge. His 'clone' was pathetic, and would be utterly useless. He failed…

Asumi tried to sort out the paradox. How could her brother, hailed as a hero and Konoha's strongest shinobi, have failed his Academy Graduation Exam so badly?

As she watched him sit on the swing, she struggled to grasp and identify her emotions. Parents and siblings of the graduates were praising them, promising their favorite dinners and special treats.

Naruto, however, sat alone on the sidelines. The only one who failed, left to futiley comfort himself in the wake of his failure. His dream, it seemed, had been crushed right there. But what set her aback the most was the two girls who not-so-subtly talked about him from a short distance away.

_Two girls near the crowd glared at me. "Hey, that kid…" one said._

"_Yeah, that's 'the kid' and he's also the only one who failed."_

"_Well, that's a good thing. He shouldn't become a shinobi, since he is—"_

"_Shh! We're not supposed to talk about that."_

_I pulled my goggles over my eyes to hide the tears._

Asumi had to deal with her own tears at that moment, barely able to keep herself from being lost in the grief. But she considered the words of those girls…they were obviously referring to him being the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, and believed that he shouldn't become a shinobi. Merely thinking about that hurt her… could she have been able to try her hardest to pass, alone and with everyone wanting you to fail?

No. She couldn't. She wouldn't even make it halfway. All the times she found strength in her family's warm smiles, or the cheers of her friends, or the encouragement and love from her parents…the assurance that they would help her whenever she needed it, and that she would definitely be a strong kunoichi one day…. She relied on that more than she ever realized before. For Naruto…it was all the opposite…

As she watched him walk away, Asumi gaped in shock as the blond put on a big smile as he walked away, no sign of his grief and turmoil showing. He walked past the villagers in the street, smiling at each of them, all of whom returned his gesture with a look of hatred and animosity. When he reached an empty side road, his smile instantly disappeared, and his gait turned slow and wobbly.

At first extremely confused by his smiles, she understood completely now. He was hiding it all, trying to act nice to the people he passed. Or perhaps he needed to think he was happy. But their looks…it was colder than anything she had ever felt.

His true sadness revealed itself as soon as he was out of their sight. But when someone he called 'Mizuki-sensei' approached him and offered another, secret chance at graduation, she held some hope for him.

When the memory skipped ahead to him panting in the middle of a forest, she wondered what was going on as Iruka-sensei approached him. The resulting conversation and betrayal surprised her, but what Mizuki said sent terrible chills down her spine.

"_Naruto," said Mizuki, "there's no point in you having it. I'll tell you the truth."_

"_No! Don't!" yelled my sensei._

_Mizuki continued anyway. "Twelve years ago…you know about the Kyuubi no Youko being defeated, right? Since that day…a special rule was created for this village."_

"…_a rule?" I asked._

"_But…this rule could never be told to you."_

"_Not to me? What is this rule? Tell me!"_

_Mizuki chuckled. "The rule that nobody is allowed to talk about the fact that YOU are the Kyuubi no Youko!"_

_Everything froze. My knees buckled as my mind reeled. "Wha-what do you mean?" I shouted._

_Iruka begged for him to stop, but the bastard was enjoying himself now. "It means that YOU are the Kyuubi no Youko! YOU killed Iruka's parents, YOU destroyed the village, and YOU killed your precious Yondaime Hokage! You were sealed up by the Hokage you admire and have been lied to by everyone! Didn't you find it odd how everyone hates you? Iruka is the same! He also hates you!" Mizuki grabbed one of the giant shuriken from his back and prepared to throw it. "Nobody will ever love you! That scroll was used to seal you up!"_

_My whole world had been turned upside down. Now everything made sense. The glares. The hate. I am the demon who destroyed the village…who killed all of those people…I deserve to die…_

Asumi's entire body went numb. It was unbelievable. She couldn't process the words. Jumping out of the memory immediately, she curled up, hugging her knees as she cried.

An hour passed before she tried to sort out what that man had said. But that attempt utterly failed almost before it began as she clutched her head in mental agony, the yelling haunting her memory. Now that she had some idea of Naruto's treatment, she couldn't stop the mental images that flooded her mind, imagining herself in his position. It was too much to bear, but she couldn't bring herself to leave and find someone to help her through it.

00.000.00

Minato rarely ever felt the Hiraishin seal placed on Kushina act up, but when it did, he knew to instantly be by her side.

This time, however, there was no immediate emergency—or at least as it appeared in the first split second it took Minato to take stock of the situation. "Kushina-koi? What's wrong?"

She looked at him worriedly. "I haven't seen Asumi-chan since breakfast, and I checked the seal on Naruto's door…it was opened today, twice. Where could she be?"

He scratched his head in contemplation. "If she took a letter, she would still be here…or at least she would have been back by now…so…" He looked up fearfully. "She must have taken a memory!"

"You don't think she's figured out how to use it with the memory room, do you?" she asked, now more concerned than ever.

"I think…she's very smart and clever for her age, and she might know enough about seals…" He trailed off, but looked at her grimly. "I've found her…she's in the Academy memory room right now. I'll be right back."

In a flash, he was gone.

00.000.00

Appearing at his daughter's side instantly, he saw what nearly wrenched his gut. She sat curled up, clutching her head as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Her whole body was shaking slightly.

They had been afraid of this very scenario, but didn't see it coming _this_ early. It was undoubtedly far too much for her to handle at such a young age, if her appearance was any indication. Minato had agreed to show her Naruto's letter reluctantly, hoping that mere words wouldn't do any real damage, especially with her parents there to comfort and reassure her right away. But this…

The result was obvious. A quick glance at the scroll told him all he needed to know; the memory was the first of the series, that of how Naruto found out he was the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. The experience, however, was horrifying to watch as a parent, seeing the innocent kid tricked into believing he was a monster and demon of the worst kind—the murder of his hero and idol. Between the memory and the letter, the realizations would come like a flood. _Oh no…_

Minato quickly embraced his daughter, but she didn't react to his touch. That alone suggested the level of trauma she had sustained as the echo of Naruto's words played in his mind repeatedly…

_You and I are one and the same…You are what I could have been. I'm what _you_ could have been._

That was the heart of it, he realized. She was imagining herself in Naruto's position, now armed with the memories to make it possible. Her unique connection with him would solidify the possibility, and it would take a lot of help to break her free from it. Naruto had obviously not intended for her to see any of his memories for quite some time, and Minato knew he should have known better. She was just as clever as her brother, with an insane amount of curiosity to boot. He berated himself for not being prepared for such a contingency as they now paid the price of his carelessness.

00.000.00

It took nearly an hour of constant physical comforting and verbally taking her back into a lucid state for things to calm down slightly. Kushina was the first to give a genuine smile. "Minato-kun, I have a sudden craving for ramen. Why don't we take the kids out for some?"

Catching onto her idea immediately, Minato agreed. "Yeah! How about some tasty ramen at Ichiraku's, Asumi-chan?" Her gaze shifted towards him, but she did not look him in the eye. She did, however, nod, much to their relief. He knew that such a change was a significant improvement. "Great! Then let's go get some."

Minato knew that they had to get her in as high spirits as possible today, October 9th, because tomorrow she would undoubtedly fall back into a grieving state during the memorial service.

He wished a certain cheerful blond was around to work his magic.

00.000.00

Purple, black-ringed eyes stared at the memorial that sat just behind the stone heads of the Hokage Monument. The man sighed as he read the inscription for the hundredth time in his life.

Nagato owed Naruto his life, both figuratively and literally. He had saved him, twice, and his best friend. It was bitterly ironic that Naruto had died when he had lived, considering how the opposite had happened in his time, against all odds.

It had taken him ten years, but he had finally mastered the ability to resurrect those recently killed. But therein lied the problem: _recently_. His greatest regret welled up inside of him in full force. _Ten years too late._

"**Nagato."**

He had been so engrossed in his musings that he hadn't sensed a visiter approaching. But the voice seemed…_different_ from any other he had ever heard. Turning around, he saw what he could only describe as a dark red, miniature fox made entirely out of chakra. Recognizing the nine swinging tails behind the creature, he addressed the demon before him. "The Kyuubi, I presume?"

It nodded. **"It appears that you and I each have what the other needs…" **The fox looked at the memorial behind him. **"...****and a common goal."**

Nagato stared at the beast intently. "I'm listening."

* * *

A/N: CLIFFHANGER DON'T KILL ME!

**THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL! ADD ME TO AUTHOR ALERT OR WHATEVER TO RECEIVE UPDATES! **The first chapter of the sequel might come out today. Stay tuned!

Now, PLEASE let me know what you think!

Questions, if you want to answer them.

1) How did you like this chapter? Likes? Dislikes? Favorite and least favorite parts?

2) How did you like the STORY as a whole? Likes? Dislikes? Favorite and least favorite parts?

3) Any advice for me in terms of writing and story telling?

4) How do you feel about OC's?

5) Did you see the ending twist coming? Be honest :)

I'm sorry in advance for repeating parts of Naruto's memory in this chapter, but I felt it was done uniquely enough to warrant it.

Now for some random tidbits I thought I'd share. In yet another example of free form writing, the only parts of this chapter I had planned out were the beginning and the end. I originally had the word "Asumi" typed in the second part, wondering what I was going to write. I had no clue.

Then I decided to do what I did, and went from there. No plan whatsoever.

As for Naruto's resurrection, I HAD planned that for a while. The whole idea was for Naruto's friends and family to reflect upon his death and his life, and for Naruto to do the same. Then, I wanted Asumi to learn about her brother and counterpart's life and death, as well as his significance to her. I also wanted a scene where Asumi meets Naruto much in the same way Naruto meets his parents. With all of those conditions satisfied, I wanted to have the ultimate fun of bringing a long-dead character back to life.

The whole "WTF" moments of his friends and family. For lulz.

In case you're wondering HOW Naruto is going to be brought to life:

1) It's fan fiction. I make the rules for my story, though I do try to stick to canon.

2) Nagato can resurrect the recently dead. The Kyuubi is a mass of physical and spiritual chakra and life energy. Combine the ability of the two, and they can somehow drag a not-so-recently-killed soul back to life.

3) Naruto's soul will have "aged" over time as well, making him 28 years old at this point. Remember, it's all about the _soul_. Now I sound like a hippy.

In truth, when I started out with this story, I had no idea whatsoever where it would end up. But I'm really, really satisfied with the result, and I'm looking forward to writing the sequel. A big thank you to everyone who reviewed this story: You're the reason I kept writing, and the reason I will continue to write. THANKS!

***FOREHEAD POKE* Sorry, everyone. This is the last time.**


	22. Final Note: Sequel is up!

Author's Note: The sequel to this story, "The Seeds We Sow" is now up. This "chapter" is a notice to everyone who has this story alerted but not me, the author. Now, you guys can go to my profile by clicking the link at the top of the page and scrolling down to the sequel story.

This "chapter" will be removed in a few days; it's just a heads up. Thank you so much for the support!


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